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RATIONAL    DEFENCE 


OF  THE 


MAR  131912 


— ^ 

BY  ISAAC  WATTS,  D.  D 


WIT>Hi  A  PREFACE 

BY  A.  ALEXANDER,  D.  D 


NEW-YORK: 
JONATHAN   LEAVITT. 

boston: 
CROCKER   &  BREWSTER 


1831 


Wm.  D'Hart,  Printer,  i 
Princeton,  JV.  J.        $ 


*- 


PREFACE 


No  writer  among  the  English  dissenter* 
has  acquired  more  deserved  celebrity  than  Dr. 
Watts.  His  works  are  numer  >us  and  on  vari- 
ous subjects;  but  most  of  them  are  calculated 
to  be  useful.  His  style  is  remarkable  for  its 
simplicity,  perspicuity,  and  smoothness.  It  is 
pure  English,  and  intelligible  by  the  meanest 
capacity.  But  that  which  is  the  distinguish- 
ing excellence  of  his  theological  writings  is, 
the  vein  of  evangelical  piety  which  runs 
through  them.  It  is  evident  to  every  impar- 
tial and  intelligent  reader,  that  Dr.  Watts  was 
a  sincere  lover  of  truth,  and  that  he  had 
thought  profoundly  on  the  subjects  discussed 
by  his  pen.  On  some  points,  it  is  true,  he 
adopted  peculiar  opinions,  different  from  the 
common  belief;  and  in  his  dissertations  on 
some  of  the  mysterious  doctrines  of  our  holy- 
religion,  he  indulged  his  fertile  mind  in  spe- 
culations which  to  us  appear  too  bold,  and 
by  which  his  own  mind  seems  to  have  been 


IV. 

somewhat  bewildered.  But  on  all  practical 
subjects,  I  scarcely  know  an  author  who  has 
expressed  evangelical  truth  in  a  more  per- 
spicuous and  felicitous  manner.  And  I  con- 
ceive that  it  is  a  real  loss  to  the  Christian 
community  that  some  of  the  most  valuable 
productions  of  this  author's  pen,  are  now 
not  in  circulation,  or  known  only  to  those 
who  possess  copies  of  his  whole  works. 
Some  of  these  were  intended  especially  for 
the  common  people,  and  ought  to  be  again 
given  to  the  public,  in  a  separate  form,  and 
in  cheap  and  convenient  editions. 

The  small  work  which  is  here  presented 
to  the  reader,  was,  never  before,  it  is  be- 
lieved, printed  separately ;  but  when  pub- 
lished originally  by  the  author,  formed  a 
part  of  a  series  of  *'  Discourses  on  various 
Subjects,"  in  two  volumes,  12mo.,  and  has 
since  been  comprised  in  the  collection  of  his 
works,  of  which  several  valuable  editions 
have  been  published.  These  short  and  pithy 
discourses,  on  a  very  important  subject,  were 
no  doubt  demanded  by  the  state  of  society 
when  they  were  first  written  ;  but  they  con- 
tain nothing  which  adapts  them  more  to  thai 


V. 


age,  than  to  the  one  in  which  our  lot  is  cast. 
Indeed,  there  never  has  been  a  period,  since 
the  reformation,  when  infidelity  assumed 
a  bolder  front,  or  more  freely  vented  her 
blasphemies  against  God  and  his  Holy  Word, 
than  the  present.  And  such  is  the  menacing 
appearance  of  this  deadly  evil  in  our  most 
populous  cities,  that  it  is  a  duty  incumbent 
on  every  friend  of  Divine  Revelation  to  lend 
his  aid,  to  check  the  torrent  of  error,  which 
will  be  sure  to  spread  desolation  through  all 
its  course.  Books  of  very  different  kinds 
may  be  highly  useful  in  this  cause.  Men 
who  are  unconvinced  by  one  sort  of  argu- 
ments, may  yield  to  those  of  another  kind  ; 
and  often  when  the  elaborate  and  learned 
treatise  is  thrown  aside  unopened,  the  brief 
and  popular  argument  of  a  few  pages  will 
be  read  with  profit.  The  reader,  however, 
must  not  expect,  in  this  small  volume,  a  for- 
mal, historical  view  of  the  evidences  of  divine 
revelation  : — this  was  not  the  object  of  the 
author.  It  was  rather  intended  to  furnish  an 
answer  to  some  of  the  more  common  and  popu- 
lar objections  which  sceptics  make  to  revealed 
religion,  and  to  exhibit  the  richness  and  free 


VI. 


ness  of  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God  ;  and, 
moreover,  to  explain  the  terms  on  which 
sinful  men  may  become  partakers  of  its  in- 
estimable blessings.  In  my  opinion,  the 
work  is  calculated  to  be  eminently  useful  to 
those  who  will  seriously  and  impartially 
peruse  it,  not  only  by  removing  doubts  and 
objections  which  relate  to  the  truth  of  Chris- 
tianity, but  also  by  unfolding  the  true  nature 
of  the  plan  of  salvation,  and  by  making  a 
salutary  impression  on  the  heart.  And  that 
it  may,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  be  useful  to 
many,  is  our  sincere  prayer. 

If  this  little  volume  should  be  favorably 
received,  so  as  to  indemnify  the  publisher  for 
his  expense  and  labor,  he  will  immediately 
put  to  press  "  Christian  Morality,"  by 
the  same  author,  which,  though  entirely  dis- 
tinct in  its  subject,  was  originally  published 
in  the  same  volume  with  the  Discourses 
which  are  now  presented  to  the  public. 

Before  I  conclude  this  preface,  I  will,  for 
the  satisfaction  of  such  as  have  not  attended 
to  the  subject,  extract  the  character  of  Dr. 
Watts  as  a  writer,  from  the  lives  of  the 
Poets,  by  Doctor  Johnson. 


VII. 


"Every  man,  acquainted  with  the  common 
principles  of  human  action,  will  look  with 
veneration  on  the  writer  who  is  at  one  time 
combating  Locke,  and  at  another  making  a 
catechism  for  children  in  their  fourth  year. 
A  voluntarv  descent  from  the  dignity  of  sci- 
ence is  perhaps  the  hardest  lesson  that  humi- 
lity can  teach. 

"  As  his  mind  was  capacious,  his  curiosity 
excursive,  and  his  industry  continual,  his 
writings  are  very  numerous,  and  his  subjects 
various.  With  his  theological  works  I  am 
only  enough  acquainted  to  admire  his  meek- 
ness of  opposition,  and  his  mildness  of  censure. 
It  was  not  only  in  his  book  but  in  his  mind 
that  orthodoxy  was  united  with  charity. 

"  Of  his  philosophical  pieces,  his  Logic  has 
been  received  into  the  universities,  and  there- 
fore wants  no  private  recommendation:  if  he 
owes  part  of  it  to  Le  Clerc,  it  must  be  consi- 
dered that  no  man  who  undertakes  merely  to 
methodise  or  illustrate  a  system,  pretends  to 
be  its  author. 

11  In  his  metaphysical  disquisitions,  it  was 
observed  by  the  late  learned  Mr.  Dyer,  that 
he  confounded  the  idea  of  space,  with  that  of 


Vlll. 

empty  space,  and  did  not  consider,  that  though 
space  might  be  without  matter,  jet  matter 
being  extended,  could  not  be  without  space. 

"Few  books  have  been  perused  by  me  with 
greater  pleasure  than  his  Improvemf.ntof  the 
Mind,  of  which  the  radical  principles  may  in- 
deed be  found  in  Locke's  Conduct  of  the 
Understanding,  but  they  are  so  expanded 
and  ramified  by  Watts,  as  to  confer  upon  him 
the  merit  of  a  work  in  the  highest  degree  use- 
ful and  pleasing.  Whoever  has  the  care  of  in- 
structingothers,may  be  charged  with  deficien- 
cy in  his  duty  if  this  book  is  not  recommended. 

"I  have  mentioned  his  treatises  of  Theology 
as  distinct  from  his  other  productions :  but  the 
truth  is,  that  whatever  he  took  in  hand  was, 
by  his  incessant  solicitude  for  souls,  converted 
to  theology.  As  piety  predominated  in  his 
mind,  it  is  diffused  over  his  works  ;  under  his 
direction  it  may  be  truly  said,  Theologice  Phi- 
losophia  ancillatur,  philosophy  is  subservient 
to  evangelical  instruction ;  it  is  difficult  to  read 
a  page  without  learning,  or  at  least  wishing, 
to  be  better.  The  attention  is  caught  by  indi- 
rect instruction,  and  he  that  sat  down  only  to 
reason  is  on  a  sudden  compelled  to  pray. 


IX. 


"  It  was  therefore  with  great  propriety  thatr 
in  1728,  he  received  from  Edinburgh  and 
Aberdeen  an  unsolicited  diploma,  by  which 
he  became  a  Doctor  of  divinity.  Academical 
honors  would  have  more  value,  if  they  were 
always  bestowed  with  equal  judgment. 

"He  continued  many  years  to  study  and  to 
preach,  and  to  do  good  by  his  instruction  and 
example;  till  at  last  the  infirmities  of  age 
disabled  him  from  the  more  laborious  part  of 
his  ministerial  functions,  and,  being  no  longer 
capable  of  public  duty,  he  offered  to  remit 
the  salary  appendant  to  it ;  but  his  congrega- 
tion would  not  accept  the  resignation. 

"  By  degrees  his  weakness  increased,  and  at 
last  confined  him  to  his  chamber  and  his  bed  ; 
where  he  was  worn  gradually  away  without 
pain,  till  he  expired,  Nov.  25,  1748,  in  the 
seventy -fifth  year  of  his  age. 

"  Few  men  have  left  behind  such  purity  of 
character,  or  such  monuments  of  laborious 
piety.  He  has  provided  instruction  for  all 
ages,  from  those  who  are  lisping  their  first 
lessons,  to  the  enlightened  readers  of  Mai 
branche  and  Locke  ;  he  has  left  ueither  cor- 
poral  nor  spiritual  nature  unexamined;  he  has 


X. 

taught  the  art  of  reasoning,  and  the  science 
of  the  stars. 

"His  character,  therefore,  must  be  formed 
from  the  multiplicity  and  diversity  of  his 
attainments,  rather  than  from  any  single  per- 
formance ;  for  it  would  not  he  safe  to  claim 
for  him  the  highest  rank  in  any  single  denomi- 
nation of  literary  dignity  ;  yet  perhaps  there 
was  nothing  in  which  he  would  not  have  ex- 
celled, if  he  had  not  divided  his  powers  to 
different  pursuits. 

"  As  a  poet,  had  he  been  only  a  poet,  he 
would  probably  have  stood  high  among  the 
authors  with  whom  he  is  now  associated. 
For  his  judgment  was  exact,  and  he  noted 
beauties  and  faults  with  very  nice  discern- 
ment; his  imagination,  as  the  Dacian  Bat- 
tle proves,  was  vigorous  and  active,  and  the 
stores  of  knowledge  were  large  by  which 
his  fancy  was  to  be  supplied.  His  ear  was 
well  tuned,  and  his  diction  was  elegant  and 
copious.  But  his  devotional  poetry  is,  like 
that  of  others,  unsatisfactory.  The  paucity 
of  its  topics  enforces  perpetual  repetition,  and 
the  sanctity  of  the  matter  rejects  the  orna- 
ments of  figurative  diction.  It  is  sufficient  for 


XI. 

Watts  to  have  done  better  than  others  what 
no  man  has  done  weli."* 

Although  the  name  of  Dr.  Watts  has  been 
exposed  to  no  small  obloquy,  since  his  death, 
on  account  of  some  of  his  opinions;  jet  it  has 
fallen  to  the  lot  of  few   men  to  be  so  highly 

*  This  insinuation  of  Dr.  Johnson,  that  devotional  poetry 
is  incapable  of  high  excellence  on  account  of  the  paucity  of 
its  topics,  and  its  rejection  of  the  ornaments  of  figurative 
diction,  has  always  appeared  to  me  unjust,  and  calculated 
to  make  a  wrong  impression.  We  want  no  other  proof  of 
its  incorrectness,  than  the  devotional  poetry  contained  in  the 
Bible.  But,  is  it  true,  that  all  devotional  poetry  m  our 
language  is  "unsatisfactory?"  No  one  wilJ  make  the 
assertion  who  has  a  taste  tor  compositions  or  this  kind.  To 
strengthen  the  opinion  here  expressed,  I  will  cite  a  passage 
from  an  "Essay"  oi  the  amiable  and  pious  poet,  James  M  >nt- 
o-omery,  which  is  prefixed  to  his  "Christian  Psalmist." 

"There  is  an  idle  prejudice  founded  upon  the  misappre- 
hension of  a  passage  in  Dr.  Johnson's  Life  of  Waller,  and  a 
hint  of  like  nature  in  hi>  life  of  Watts,  that  sacred  subjects 
are  unfit  for  poetry,  nay,  incapable  of  being  combined  with 
it.  That  their  nature,  majesty  and  grace,  cannot  be  heigh- 
tened by  any  art  of  embellibhment,  is  most  freely  admitted; 
but  that  verse,  as  well  as  prose,  may  be  advantageously  as- 
sociated with  whatsoever  things  are  true,  honest,  just,  pure, 
lovely,  and  of  good  report,  in  religion,  we  have  the  evidence 
of  the  Scriptures  themselves,  "in  tne  law  of  Moses,  and  in 
the  Prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms,"  when  they  testify  con- 
cerning Christ  and  his  sufferings,  in  strains  the  most  exalted 
that  poesy  can  boast.  We  have  evidence  to  the  same  effect, 
in  many  of  the  most  exquisite  and  perfect  compositions  of 
uninspired  poets,  both  in  our  own  and  in  other  countries." — 
"  We  are  not  without  proof,  that  hymns  may  be  as  splendid 
in  poetry,  as  they  are  fervent  in  devotion." 


Xll. 


honored  in  the  church.  The  praises  of  a 
million  of  Christians  are  offered  to  God  on 
every  Lord's  day,  in  the  words  composed  by 
him.  His  Psalms  and  Hymns  have  been  in- 
strumental in  aiding  the  devotions  of  a  great 
multitude  of  saints,  who  have  already  finished 
their  earthly  pilgrimage ;  and  will  continue 
to  be  read  and  sung  with  delight,  as  long  as 
the  English  language  shall  be  spoken  by 
Christians.  And  who  is  there,  that  has  been 
nurtured  in  the  admonition  of  the  Lord,  who 
does  not  recollect  with  pleasure,  Dr.  Watts' 
Divine  Songs  for  infant  minds?  There 
is,  therefore,  less  danger  of  the  name  of  Dr. 
Watts  being  forgotten  in  our  churches,  than 
that  of  any  other  uninspired  man.  He  may 
truly  be  styled  the  "sweet  singer  of  our 
Israel,"  to  whom  we  all  owe  a  debt  of  gra- 
titude :  or  rather  I  should  say,  we  owe  many 
thanks  to  God  for  the  gifts  bestowed  on  his 
servant,  by  which  he  has  been  rendered  so 
eminent  an  instrument  in  promoting  the  edifi- 
cation of  the  church.  And  we  trust,  that  the 
thousands  who  experience,  daily,  the  benefit 
of  his  sacred  poetry,  will  not  find  his  prose 
writings  unworthy  of  their  regard. 

A.  ALEXANDER. 

Princeton,  .7V.  J.  } 
March,  28,  1831.  S 


A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE  OF  THE  GOSPEL: 
ORj 

COURAGE  IX  PROFESSING  CHRISTIANITY. 


Rom.  i.  16. 

/  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  for 
it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every 
one  that  believeth. 

PART  FIRST. 

Shame  is  a  very  discouraging  passion  of  the 
mind:  it  sinks  the  spirits  low,  it  enfeebles  ail 
the  active  powers,  and  forbids  the  vigorous  ex- 
ecution of  any  tiling  whereof  we  are  ashamed. 
It  was  necessary  therefore,  that  St.  Paul  should 
be  endued  with  sacred  courage,  and  raised 
above  the  power  of  shame,  when  he  was  sent 
to  preach  the  gospel  of  Christ  among  the  Jews 
or  the  heathens,  to  face  an  infidel  world,  and 
to  break  through  all  the  reproaches  and  ter- 
rors of  it.  /  am  a  debtor,  says  he,  v.  14.  to 
the  Greeks  and  to  the  Barbarians,  that  is,  to 
the  learned  and  unlearned  nations,  to  the  wise 
and  the  unwise :   <  I  have  a  commission  from 


14  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

Christ  to  publish  his  gospel  among  all  the  na- 
tions of  men,  and  I  esteem  myself  their  debtor 
until  I  have  delivered  my  message.  And 
though  Rome  be  the  seat  of  worldly  power 
and  policy,  the  mistress  of  the  nations  and  so- 
vereign of  the  earth,  where  I  shall  meet  with 
opposition  and  contempt  in  abundance,  yet  I 
have  courage  enough  to  preach  this  doctrine 
at  Rome  also,  for  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ' 

My  friends,  this  is  an  age  wherein  the  gospel 
of  our  Redeemer  meets  with  much  contempt 
and  opposition.  There  are  many  in  a  baptized 
nation,  and  who  have  been  brought  up  in  the 
christian  belief  and  worship,  that-  begin  to  be 
weary  of  Christ  and  his  religion  ;  they  are  en- 
deavouring to  find  blemishes  and  defects  in 
this  sacred  gospel,  and  in  that  blessed  word  of 
God  that  reveals  this  grace  to  us.  The  divine 
truths  that  belong  to  this  gospel  meet  with 
mockery  and  profane  reproach  from  deists  and 
unbelievers.  I  may  call  it  therefore  a  day  of 
rebuke  and  blasphemy.  God  grant  we  may 
never  become  a  land  of  heathens  again! — 
Those  of  us  that  believe  this  gospel  from  the 
heart,  have  need  of  courage  to  maiatain  our  pro- 
fession of  it,  especially  in  some  companies  and 
conversations.     We  should  prepare  ourselves 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  15 

to  encounter  the  reasonings  of  unbelievers,  as 
well  as  harden  our  faces  against  their  ridicule. 
Letus  therefore  meditate  on  this  sacred  text,  that 
each  of  us  may  pronounce  boldly  the  words  of 
this  great  apostle,  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ. 

Now  that  our  mediations  may  proceed  regu- 
larly on  the  present  theme  of  discourse,  let  us 
consider, 

I.  What  the  gospel  of  Christ  is,  that  we  may 
not  mistake  it. 

II.  What  is  included  in  this  expression,  I  am 
not  ashamed  of  it. 

III.  What  there  is  in  this  gospel  that  might 
be  supposed  any  way  to  expose  a  man  to 
shame.  And  I  shall  take  occasion  under  this 
head  to  give  particular  answers  to  some  of  the 
most  important  objections  that  might  be  made 
against  the  gospel,  and  show  that  there  is  no 
just  reason  to  be  ashamed  of  it. 

IV.  I  shall  consider  what  is  that  general  an- 
swer to  all  objections ;  that  universal  guard 
against  sinful  shame  which  is  contained  in  my 
text,  and  which  will  bear  out  every  christain 
in  his  faith  and  profession  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  viz.  that  it  is  the  power  of  God  to  the 
salvation  of  every  one  who  believes. 

Y«.  I  shall  draw  some  proper  inferences. 


16  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

1.  What  is  the  gospel  of  Christ  1 

I  answer  in  general,  it  is  a  revelation  of  the 
grace  of  God  to  fallen  man  through  a  Mediator, 
Or,  it  is  a  gracious  constitution  of  God  for  the 
recovery  of  sinful  and  miserable  man  from 
that  deplorable  state  into  which  sin  had  brought 
him,  by  the  mediation  of  Christ ;  or,  in  the 
words  of  my  text,  it  is  the  power  of  God,  of 
his  powerful  appointment  for  the  salvation  of 
every  one  who  believes. 

The  word  gospel,  in  the  original,  elayfs\m 
signifies  good  news  or  glad  tidings.  And  surely, 
when  a  sinner,  who  is  exposed  to  the  wrath  of 
God  is  sensible  of  his  guilt  and  danger,  it  must 
needs  be  glad  tidings  to  him  to  hear  of  a  way 
of  salvation  and  an  all-sufficient  Saviour. 

This  constitution  of  God  for  our  salvation  has 
had  various  editions,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  or 
gradual  discoveries  of  it,  made  to  mankind, 
ever  since  Adam  first  sinned,  and  God  visited 
him  with  the  first  promise  of  grace  before  he 
turned  him  out  of  Paradise. 

But  the  last  and  most  complete  revelation  of 
this  gospel  was  made  by  the  personal  ministry 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  more  especially, 
by  his  apostles,  when  his  own  death,  resurrec- 
tion and  exaltation,  had  laid  the  complete  (bun-, 
dation  for  it. 


of  tp:e  gospel. 


17 


From  the  books  of  the  New  Testament,  there- 
fore, we  may  derive  this  larger  description  of 
the  gospel  of  Christ. 

It  is  a  wise,  a  holy,  and  gracious  constitution 
of  God  for  the  recovery  of  sinful  man,  by  send- 
ing his  own  Son  Jesus  Christ  into  the  flesh, 
to  obey  his  law  which  man  had  broken,  to  make 
a  proper  atonement  for  sin  by  his  death,  and 
thus  to  procure  the  favor  of  God  and  eternal 
happiness  for  all  that  believe  and  repent,  and 
and  receive  the  offered  salvation  ;  together  with 
a  promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  work  this  faith 
and  repentance  in  their  hearts,  to  renew  their 
sinful  natures  unto  holiness,  to  form  them  on 
earth  fit  for  this  happiness,  and  to  bring  them 
to  the  full  possession  of  it  in  heaven. 

It  might  be  proved  that  this  is  the  sense  and 

substance  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  from  many  of 

the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  the 

ceremonies  and  figures  of  the  Jewish  church, 

as  well  as  from  a  variety  of  citations  from  the 

writings  of  the  evangelists  and  apostles.     Yet 

there  have  risen  some  persons  (I  mean  the  Sc- 

cinians  and  their  disciples)  in  the  last  age,  and 

in  this  also,  who  call   themselves    christians, 

but  they  so  curtail  and  diminish  the  gospel  of 

Christ,  as  to  make  it  signify  very  little  more 

than  the  dictates  and  hopes  of  the  light  of  na~ 
b  2. 


18  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

ture,  viz :  that  if  we  repent  of  our  sins  pastv 
and  obey  the  commands  of  God  as  well  as  we 
can  for  the  future,  Christ,  as  a  great  prophet, 
has  made  a  full  declaration  that  there  is  pardon 
for  such  sinners,  and  they  shall  be  accepted 
unto  eternal  life :  and  all  this  without  any  de- 
pendance  on  his  death  as  a  proper  sacrifice,  and 
with  little  regard  to  the  operations  of  his  holy 
Spirit. 

Now  f  need  use  no  other  argument  to  refute 
this  mistaken  notion  of  the  gospel,  than  what 
may  be  derived  from  the  words  of  my  text,  viz  : 
that  St..  Paul  expresses  it  with  a  sort  of  em- 
phasis, and  as  a  matter  of  importance,  that  he 
was  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ. — ■. 
Whereas,  if  this  had  been  all  the  substance  of 
the  gospel,  he  had  no  reason  to  be  ashamed  of 
it,  either  among  the  Jews,  or  the  heathens. — 
The  Jews  had  a  knowledge  of  forgiveness  upon 
repentance,  and  a  belief  of  it  long  before  Christ 
came :.  and  the  heathen  philosophers  would 
have  readily  received  it,  as  a  thing  very  little 
different  from  what  their  natural  reason  might 
lead  them  to  hope  for,  though  it  could  not 
fully  assure  them  of  it,  they  would  never  have 
sought  to  expose  and  ridicule  the  preaching  of 
St.  Paul  as  mere  babbling,  and  calLed  him  a 
setter  forth  of  strange  gods. 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  9 

But  on  the  other  hand,  if  we  suppose  him 
publishing  the  glorious  doctrine  which  I  have 
described,  there  was  something  in  this  so 
strange  to  the  ears  of  the  heathens  as  well  as 
of  the  blinded  Jews,  that  might  well  be  sup- 
posed to  awaken  their  opposition  and  rage ; 
and,  therefore,  it  was  a  great  point  gained 
with  him,  when  he  had  courage  enough  to 
maintain  such  a  gospel,  and  to  say,  I  am  not 
ashamed  of  it. 

This  leads  me  to  the  second  thing  proposed. 

II.  What  is  included  in  these  words,  I  am 
not  ashamed  of  the  gospel]  To  this  I  answer 
under  these  five  heads. 

1.  I  am  not  ashamed  to  believe  it  as  a  man, 

2.  I  am  not  ashamed  to  profess  it  as  a  chris- 
tian. 

3.  I  am  not  ashamed  to  preach  it  to  other?  as 
a  minister. 

4.  I  am  not  ashamed  to  defend  it  and  contend 
for  it  as  a  good  soldier  of  Christ. 

5.  I  am  not  ashamed  to  suffer  and  die  for  it  as 
a  martyr. 

1.  c  I  am  not  ashamed  to  believe  this  gospel  as 
a  man.  My  rational  powers  give  me  no  secret 
reproaches.  My  understanding  and  judgment 
do  not  reprove  and  check  my  faith.  I  feel  no 
inward  blush  upon  the  face  of  my  soul,  while  I 


20  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

give  the  fullest  assent  to  all  these  truths,  to 
this  scheme  of  doctrine,  to  this  heavenly  con- 
trivance and  system  of  grace.  A  rational  man, 
especially  one  who  has  been  bred  up  in  learning, 
should  be  ashamed  to  believe  fables  and  follies ; 
but  I  believe  all  this  gospel  and  am  not 
ashamed.  My  own  reason  approves  it,  and  jus- 
tifies me  in  the  persuasion  and  belief  of  such  a 
gospel  as  this  is.' 

c  I  believe  it  with  so  firm  and  unshaken  a  faith, 
that  I  venture  all  my  own  eternal  concerns 
upon  it,  I  lay  all  the  stress  of  my  hopes  of  a 
blessed  immortality  on  it.  My  soul  rests  here, 
and  I  am  not  ashamed  of  my  resting  place  : — 
I  am  not  ashamed  of  my  Saviour,  and  the 
method  of  his  salvation.  I  am  persuaded  my 
hopes  shall  never  disappoint  me.' 

Surely,  if  the  gospel  had  been  so  very  irra- 
tional a  thing  as  some  men  pretend  it  to  be, 
St.  Paul  being  so  rational  and  wise  a  man,  would 
have  been  ashamed  to  believe  it.  But '  I  believe 
it,'  says  he,  'and  am  not  ashamed.  I  do  not 
think  it  casts  any  just  reflection  upon  my  ra- 
tional capacities,  or  my  learned  education  at 
the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  for  me  to  give  a  full  as- 
sent to  this  gospel. 

2.  <  I  am  not  ashamed  to  profess  it  as  a  Chris- 
tian.    I  am  ready  to  tell  the  world  that  I  believe 


OP  THE  GOSPEL..  21 

it,  and  I  take  all  occasions  to  let  the  world  know 
it.  I  am  coming  to  profess  this  gospel  at  Rome,, 
and  am  not  ashamed :  I  have  owned  it  before 
my  own  countrymen  the  Jews,  already,  where 
it  has  been  most  reproached.  I  have  been  tell- 
ing the  Gentiles  what  the  gospel  of  salvation  is, 
and  I  long  to  see  you  at  Rome,  that  I  may  tell 
you  what  my  belief  is  in  the  gospel,  and  may 
hear  how  far  you  have  believed,  and  may  be 
comforted  by  the  mutual  faith  both  of  you  and 
me:  Rom.  i.  12.  I  shall  be  glad  to  tell  you 
what  doctrines  I  venture  my  own  soul  upon, 
and  shall  be  willing  to  hear  from  you  whether 
you  venture  your  souls  upon  the  same  doctrine 
or  no  ;  and  shall  rejoice  to  find  we  are  both  in- 
terested in  one  salvation.' 

3..  6  T  am  not  ashamed  to  preach  it  to  others 
as  a  minister ;  that  is,  to  invite  others  to  believe 
it.  It  is  a  communicable  good,  and  I  am  sent 
to  diffuse  it,  nor  am  I  ashamed  of  my  commis^ 
sion.  See  2  Tim.  12*  13..  Our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  has  abolished  death,  and  brought  life 
and  immortality  to  light  by  the  gospel,  and  has 
appointed  me  a  preacher,  and  an  apostle  to  the 
Gentiles :  I  preach  the  gospel  and  am  not 
ashamed,  though  I  have  suffered  for  it.  I  ven- 
ture my  soul  upon  it  unto  the  last  great  day,  and 
I  bid  thee,  Timothy,  as  a  preacher  unto  others, 


%% 


A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 


to  hold  fast  the  same  form  of  sound  words  which 
thou  has  learned  of  me.  I  long  to  teach  the 
whole  world  this  faith  and  this  doctrine,  there- 
fore I  am  a  debtor  to  the  Greeks  and  Barba- 
rians ;  I  would  make  others  partakers  of  the 
same  hope.  Would  to  God,  that  not  only  thou, 
Agrippa,  but  all  those  that  hear  me,  were  not 
only  almost,  but  altogether  such  as  I  am,  ex- 
cept only  these  bonds,  these  sufferings  which  I 
endure  for  Christ's  sake :'  Acts  xxvi.  29. 

4.  ■ I  am  not  ashamed  to  contend  for  it  as  a 
good  soldier  of  Christ ;  to  defend  it  when  it  is 
attacked,  and  to  vindicate  the  cause  of  my 
Lord  and  Master.  Where  it  is  assaulted  I  en- 
deavor to  secure  it,  though  with  many  re- 
proaches from  the  carnal  prejudices  of  man- 
kind. I  oppose  them  all,  for  they  oppose  my 
Saviour  and  his  cross,  and  I  build  my  everlast- 
ing hopes  there.  I  am  set  for  the  defence  of 
the  gospel  of  Christ :  Phil.  i.  17>  and  I  will  con- 
tend earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to 
the  saints.'  And  he  gave  us  an  instance  of  it, 
that  when  Peter,  who  was  an  apostle,  seemed 
to  diminish  some  of  the  glory  and  the  liberty  of 
of  the  gospel,  he  withstood  him  to  the  face : 
Gal.  ii.  11.  <  There  shall  no  man  silence  me, 
or  stop  my  mouth,  when  I  am  preaching  a 
crucified  Saviour,  and  when  I  express  my  faith 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  2o 

in  the  liberty  and  latitude  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ.  For  if  I  durst  withstand  an  apostle 
under  his  criminal  concealments,  and  in  his  di- 
minution of  the  honor  of  this  doctrine,  surely 
I  dare  oppose  all  the  world  besides.' 

5.  Lastly,  <I  am  not  ashamed  to  suffer  and  die 
for  it  as  a  martyr.  Load  me  with  reproaches, 
ye  Jews,  my  countrymen,  and  load  me  with 
chains,  ye  magistrates  of  Rome ;  of  none  of 
these  am  I  ashamed  or  afraid,  but  with  all  bold- 
ness I  am  always  ready  that  Christ  should  be 
magnified  in  my  life,  or  my  death:  Phil.  i.  14, 
20.  And  as  for  my  friends  that  are  full  of  sor- 
row lest  Paul  should  be  sacrificed  for  the  faith 
of  Christ,  Why  mourn  ye  and  break  my  heart  ? 
I  am  not  only  ready  to  be  bound,  but  to 
die  for  the  sake  of  Christ.  I  count  nothing 
dear  to  me,  no  nor  my  life  precious  to  myself, 
that  I  may  finish  with  joy  the  course  of  my  mi- 
nistry of  this  gospel,  that  I  may  testify  the 
grace  of  my  God:'  Acts  xx.  24,  and  xxi.  13. 

I  might  add  also,  that  St.  Paul  intends  and 
means  more  than  he  expresses  by  a  very  usual 
figure  of  speech,  «  I  am  not  ashamed  of  it,  that 
is,  I  glory  in  it,  I  make  my  boast  of  it ;  if  there 
be  any  doctrine  worth  boasting  of,  it  is  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ.  If  I  have  any  profession  to  glory 
in,  it  is  that  I  am  a  Christian.     Once  I  was  a 


£4  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

Pharisee,  and  I  counted  it  my  gain  and  my  ho* 
nor  :'  Phil.  iii.  4,  &c.  But  what  things  were 
gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ. 
Yea  dobtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for 
the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus 
my  Lord.  I  glory  in  being  a  minister  of  the 
gospel ;  it  is  the  highest  honor  God  could  have 
put  upon  me,  who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all 
saints.  To  me  is  this  grace  given  to  preach 
among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ:  Eph.  iii.  8.  I  glory  in  it  to  that  degree, 
that  I  am  dead  to  all  things  else.  God  forbid 
I  should  glory  in  any  thing  save  i?i  the  cross  of 
our  Lord  Jesus,  whereby  the  world  is  crucified 
to  me,  and  I  to  the  world.  I  glory  in  my  suf* 
feringsfor  Christ;  and,  my  friends,  if  ye  under- 
stood the  value  of  these  things,  they  are  your 
glory  too.  If  I  am  offered  up  a  sacrifice  for  the 
service  of  your  faith ;  I  joy  and  rejoice  together 
with  you  all :  O  !  that  you  would  but  rejoice  to- 
gether with  me  in  it.' 

Thus,  I  have  showed  you  that  all  these  things 
are  implied  in  St.  Paul's  not  being  ashamed  of 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  I  have  proved  it  to  you 
from  other  parts  of  his  epistles. 

The  third  general  head  I  proposed  to  speak 
to,  was  this, 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  25 

III.  What  is  there  in  this  gospel  that  may  be 
supposed  to  expose  any  man  to  shame ! 

And  this  question  is  very  needful ;  for  if  there 
were  nothing  in  it  that  men  might  take  occasion 
to  throw  their  scandals  and  reproaches  at,  it  had 
been  no  great  matter  for  St.  Paul  to  have  cried 
out,  'I am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ? 

To  this  I  answer  in  general,  this  was  a  gospel 
that  contradicted  the  rooted  prejudices  of  the 
Jews,  and  was  severely  reproached  by  those 
that  professed  great  knowledge  in  their  law  ;  it 
was  also  a  new  and  strange  thing  to  the  Gen- 
tiles. A  crucified  Christ  was  a  stumbling-block 
to  the  Jews  and  foolishness  to  the  Greek  :  1 
Cor.  1.  23.  There  was  something  in  the  faith 
and  practice  and  worship  of  the  gospel,  so  con- 
trary to  the  course  of  their  education  in  the 
world,  so  opposite  to  their  carnal  inclinations, 
and  to  the  customs  and  fashions  of  their  coun- 
try, that  a  man  might  well  be  afraid  and  ashamed 
to  profess  it,  when  they  lift  their  tongues  and 
their  hands  and  their  swords  against  it ;  and 
the  chief  of  them  crucified  the  Lord  of  glory, 
and  put  the  preachers  of  it  to  death. 

Thus,  in  general.  But  while  I  descend  to 
particulars,  I  shall  confine  myself  only  to  those 
occasions  of  shame,  which  the  same  gospel 
meets  with  in  our  day,  that  so  the  discourse 


26  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

may  be  more  useful  to  the  present  audience ; 
and  as  I  mention  each  objection  or  supposed 
occasion  of  shame,  I  shall  endeavor  to  take  off 
the  force  of  it,  and  shew  that  it  is  unreasonable. 
Now  the  things  that  might  any  ways  be  sup- 
posed to  expose  this  gospel  to  shame,  may  be 
ranked  under  these  two  heads. 

I.  Those  which  arise  from  the  doctrines  of 
the  gospel:  and 

II.  Those  which  arise  from  the  professors  of 
the  gospel. 

I.  The  occasions  of  shame  that  arise  from  the 
doctrines  of  the  gospel,  are  these  five  that  fol- 
low. 

1.  'That  there  are  mysteries  in  it  which  are 
above  the  powers  of  our  reason  to  comprehend, 
and  I  will  never  believe  a  gospel  that  I  cannot 
comprehend.'  This  is  the  language  of  Sociai- 
ans,  men  that  pretend  so  much  to  reason  in 
our  day. 

But  to  relieve  this  occasion  of  shame,  let  us 
consider,  that  mysteries  are  of  two  sorts. 

1.  Such  as  we  could  never  have  known,  but 
by  divine  revelation ;  but  being  once  revealed, 
they  may  be  fairly  explained  and  understood. 
Such  is  the  doctrine  of  the  satisfaction  of  Christ, 
of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  of  forgiveness 
of  sins  for  the  sake  of  Christ's  sufferings,  and  of 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  27 

eternal  life  in  a  future  world.  I  say,  these  are 
all  mysteries  that  were  hid  from  ages,  that  is, 
they  are  such  truths  which  nature  or  reason 
could  not  have  found  out  of  itself,  but  being 
once  revealed  to  us  of  God,  may  be  fairly  ex- 
plained and  well  understood. 

Another  sort  of  mysteries,  are  those,  which 
when  revealed  unto  us,  we  know  merely  the 
existence  or  reality  and  certainty  of  them,  but 
cannot  comprehend  the  mode  and  manner  how 
they  are.  And  of  this  kind  there  are  but  two 
that  I  know  of  in  our  religion,  which  are  the 
chief  objects  of  offence  to  some  men.  These 
are  the  mystery  of  the  blessed  Trinity,  and  the 
mystery  of  the  incarnation  of  Christ.  The  mys- 
tery of  Three  Persons,  who  have  some  glorious 
communion  in  one  Godhead ;  and  the  mystery 
of  two  natures  united  in  one  Person. 

Now,  though  the  way  and  manner  how  Three 
Persons,  Father,  Son  and  Spirit,  should  be  one 
God,  and  how  two  natures,  human  and  divine, 
should  be  one  Person  in  Christ  Jesus ;  I  say, 
though  the  way  and  manner  how  these  things 
are,  is  not  so  easy  to  be  explained  and  unfolded 
by  us,  and  above  our  own  present  capacity  to 
comprehend  and  fully  explain,  yet  I  could  never 
find  these  things  proved  impossible  to  be.  If  I 
must  refuse  to  believe  a  thing  that  I  know  not 


28  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

the  manner  and  nature  of,  there  are  many 
things  in  the  world  of  nature  and  in  natural  re- 
ligion that  I  must  disbelieve.  Let  them  ex- 
plain to  me  in  natural  religion  what  is  the  eter- 
nity of  God,  what  ideas  they  can  have  of  a  Be- 
ing that  never  began  to  be  ;  and  then  perhaps 
I  may  be  able  to  explain  to  them  how  Three 
Persons  can  be  one  God,  and  how  two  natures 
can  be  in  one  Person.  I  am  well  assured,  there 
are  some  doctrines  in  natural  religion  as  diffi- 
cult to  be  explained,  and  hard  to  be  understood, 
and  the  manner  of  them  is  as  mysterious,  as 
these  doctrines  of  revealed  religion,  which  are 
also  rendered  more  offensive  by  some  men's  at- 
tempts to  explain  them  in  an  unhappy  manner. 
But  we  may  go  a  step  lower  to  meet  this  ob- 
jection, and  confound  it.  In  the  world  of  na- 
ture there  are  mysteries  of  this  kind,  which  are 
as  unaccountable,  and  as  hard  to  be  unfolded, 
as  the  mysteries  of  grace.  It  is  the  doctrine  of 
unions,  both  in  the  Trinity  and  the  incarnation, 
which  renders  them  so  mysterious.  Now  this 
doctrine  of  unions  in  Natural  Philosophy  hath 
been  hitherto  insolvable.  We  know  that  spirit 
and  body  are  united  to  make  a  man:  but  the 
manner  how  they  are  united,  remains  still  a 
most  difficult  question.  We  know  that  some 
bodies  are  hard,  and  some  are  soft ;  but  wha* 


OP  THE  GOSPEL.  29 

it  is  that  ties  or  unites  the  hard  bodies  so  closely 
together,  and  makes  them  so  difficult  to  be  se- 
parated, is  a  riddle  to  the  best  philosophers, 
which  they  cannot  solve;  or,  what  it  is  that 
renders  the  parts  of  soft  bodies  so  easily  sepa- 
rable. And  many  other  things  there  are  in 
nature  as  mysterious  as  this. 

Besides,  if  it  were  possible  for  us  to  explain 
all  things  in  nature,  and  to  write  a  perfect  book 
of  Natural  Philosophy,  with  accurate  skill,  yet 
it  would  not  follow  that  we  must  know  God 
the  Creator  to  perfection.  The  things  of  God 
are  infinitely  superior  to  the  things  of  men. 
The  nature  of  a  Creator,  in  his  manner  of  exist- 
tence,  is  infinitely  above  the  nature  of  creatures 
in  theirs.  'Tis  fit  there  should  be  something  be- 
longing to  God,  an  Infinite  Spirit,  that  is  incom- 
prehensible, and  above  the  power  of  fiinite  spirits 
to  comprehend  and  fully  search  out  and  explain. 
It  ought,  therefore,  to  be  no  just  ground  of  shame 
to  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  it 
has  mysteries  in  it ;  that  is  to  say,  has  some  doc- 
trines in  it  which  we  could  never  have  found  out 
by  the  mere  light  of  reason ;  and  some  truths 
the  full  manner  of  explication  whereof  we  can 
never  attain  to,  since  there  are  many  things  in 

the  world  of  nature,  in  the  world  of  bodies  and 

c  % 


30  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

souls,  and  many  things  in  natural  religion,  which 
we  cannot  fully  explain. 

2.  Another  occasion  of  reproach,  which  men 
fasten  upon  the  gospel,  is,  that  some  of  the  doc- 
trines are  so  singular  and  contrary  to  the  com- 
mon opinions  and  reasonings  of  men ;  such  as 
that  the  ever  blessed  God  should  want  a  satis- 
faction, in  order  to  pardon  sin  with  honor; 
that  he  should  punish  the  most  innocent  and 
obedient  man  that  ever  lived,  even  his  own  Son, 
for  the  sins  of  wicked  and  rebellious  creatures ; 
that  we  should  be  freed  from  hell,  which  we 
had  deserved,  by  the  sufferings  of  another  in 
our  stead  ;  that  one  man  should  be  justified  with 
another's  obedience  ;  nay,  that  ten  thousands  of 
men  should  be  pardoned  and  justified  for  the  sake 
of  the  obedience  and  death  of  one  single  man ; 
that  all  our  own  repentance  is  not  sufficient  of 
itself  to  obtain  our  pardon  ;  that  our  holiness  be  it 
never  so  great,  does  not  procure  us  a  title  to  the 
favor  of  God  and  heaven ;  and  that  dead  bodies* 
though  mouldered  in  the  grave  for  thousands  of 
years,  should  be  raised  again  to  life  and  immor- 
tality .  These  are  such  strange  doctrines,  so  very 
foreign  to  the  common  sentiments  of  most  men, 
that  some  of  the  Athenians  cried  out,  cwhat  does 
this  babbler  mean  1    A  man  should  be  ashamed 


OP  THE  GOSPEL.  St 

of  these  things ;  the  very  heathen  philosophers 
called  it  foolishness.' 

But  now  to  remove  this  scandal,  let  us  con- 
sider, that  many  of  these  things  are  not  so  con- 
trary to  the  reason  of  men  as  some  think  :  for  as 
to  the  satisfaction  made  for  our  sins  by  the  suf- 
ferings of  Christ,  did  not  almost  all  the  heathen 
world  suppose  that  God  would  not  pardon  sin 
without  satisfaction  ?  What  else  mean  all  their 
bloody  sacrifices  1  And  why  did  they  some- 
times proceed  so  far  as  to  murder  men  and 
offer  them  to  God  for  their  sins  1  I  confess,  in- 
deed, that  many  of  the  philosophers  and  learned 
men  amongst  them  who  derided  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  did  also  despise  the  sacrifices  and  reli- 
gious ceremonies  of  their  own  countrymen,  be- 
lieving that  God  would  be  merciful  to  men  that 
were  penitent  and  pious,  without  any  rites  of 
atonement  and  sacrifice.  But  it  is  as  evident, 
also,  that  the  people  had  a  general  notion  of  the 
necessity  of  some  atonement  for  sin,  and  that  the 
more  valuable  the  sacrifice  was,  the  sooner  was 
their  god  appeased,  and  the  benefit  procured 
would  be  more  extensive,  however  the  philoso- 
phers might  ridicule  it.  It  is  manifest  then,  that 
many  of  the  heathens  did  imagine,  that  the  death 
and  sufferings  of  one  person  should  procure  par- 
don and  immunities  for  a  whole  multitude.    And, 


32  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

upon  this  principle,  some  of  the  ancient  Romans> 
now  and  then,  out  of  nobility  of  spirit,  devoted 
themselves  to  death  to  appease  the  anger  of 
the  Gods  for  their  whole  country.  Thus  it  ap- 
pears, that  the  business  of  satisfaction  for  sin, 
and  the  doctrine  of  expiation  and  atonement  by 
the  blood  and  death  of  a  surety,  was  not  so  ut- 
terly unknown  in  the  world. 

I  add  farther,  that  the  notion  of  one  person's 
making  satisfaction  for  the  crime  of  another,  in 
human  and  political  affairs,  has  been  sometimes 
practised,  and  thought  to  be  very  intelligible  ; 
and  why  should  it  be  counted  so  very  monstrous 
and  absurd,  in  things  divine  ]  Do  we  not  under- 
stand what  it  is  for  one  man  to  become  a  surety 
for  another,  or  for  a  criminal  to  be  set  free  from 
punishment  by  the  voluntary  substitution  of 
another  person  in  his  stead  ?  Are  we  not  well 
acquainted  with  what  it  is  for  one  man  to  pay  the 
debt  of  another,  and  the  original  person  that 
was  obliged  thereby,  to  become  free  1  Do  we 
not  know  what  it  is  for  a  whole  family  of  chil- 
dren to  inherit  a  possession  for  many  ages,  one 
after  another,  for  some  noble  acts  and  services 
of  their  father?  Therefore,  honor,  and  glory,  and 
happiness,  bestowed  upon  a  multitude  for  the 
sake  of  what  one  man  has  done,  is  not  so  unintel- 
ligible a  thing  as  some  men  would  persuade  us. 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  S3 

Why  should  that  be  esteemed  impossible  in  the 
affairs  of  religion,  which  is  evident  and  plainly 
practicable  in  the  affairs  of  this  world  ? 

Again,  they  think  it  strange  that  our  repent- 
ance should  not  be  enough  to  obtain  the  pardon 
of  past  sins,  and  our  own  obedience  should  not 
procure  heaven  for  us.  But  are  not  traitors,  and 
robbers,  and  all  notorious  criminals  punished  in 
all  governments,  notwithstanding  their  repent- 
ance 1  Can  their  sorrow  for  what  is  past  pro- 
cure a  pardon  of  their  prince  7  Who  then  would 
be  punished  1  And  is  man's  government  in  pun- 
ishing criminals  without  a  satisfaction  just  and 
reasonable]  And  shall  God's  government  be 
counted  unreasonable  1  Can  future  obedience 
among  men  obtain  no  forgiveness  for  past  trea- 
son and  rebellion  1  And  why  then  should  you 
think  the  great  God  is  obliged  to  accept  of  it  1 

As  for  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  though  it 
was  counted  a  strange  thing  among  heathens 
when  it  was  first  preached  to  them  ;  yet  in  these 
latter  days,  since  the  knowledge  of  God  and  his 
glorious  attributes  has  been  so  much  increased, 
and  the  reason  of  men  has  freely  exercised  it- 
self upo  n  things  divine  and  human,  the  resur- 
rection is  not  counted  any  impossible  thing,  nor 
the  doctrine  of  it  incredible.  And  I  am  verily 
persuaded,  if  men  whom  God  has  endued  with 


34  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

large  capacities  and  great  skill  in  reasoning, 
would  but  employ  those  talents  to  write  a  ra- 
tional account  of  most  of  the  doctrines  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  it  might  be  done  with  much 
glory  and  success. 

As  for  those  few  doctrines  of  Christianity, 
which  may  at  first  appear  less  reasonable  to 
men,  their  abundant  attestation  from  heaven  de- 
mands our  belief. 

3.  Another  occasion  of  reproach  is,  that  the 
gospel  teaches  mortification  and  self-denial,  in  a 
very  great  degree  conflicting  with  our  natural 
appetites,  and  fighting  against  our  own  flesh 
and  blood  :  and  all  that  it  promises  is  an  unseen 
heaven,  a  future  reward,  a  far  distant  happiness 
in  another  country,  which  eye  has  not  seen,  nor 
ear  heard  of,  nor  the  heart  of  man  conceived. 
A  mere  spiritual  pleasure  that  is  to  be  enjoyed 
by  the  mind,  and  which  the  body  shall  not  taste 
of,  till  perhaps  after  a  thousand  years  or  more. 
Now,  as  under  the  former  head,  the  doctrines  of 
the  gospel  are  a  scandal  to  men  of  reason  ;  so 
under  this  they  become  a  scandal  and  reproach 
to  those  that  are  litterally  called  men  of  sense, 
who  are  carpalized  and  immersed  in  sensuality. 
They  think  it  strange  to  forego  the  joys  of  sense, 
for  the  hopes  of  enjoying  a  happiness  in  a  world 
they  don't  know  when  or  where* 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  35 

But  I  need  not  stand  long  to  answer  this 
calumny  ;  for  even  some  of  the  refined  philoso- 
phers gave  sufficient  rebuke  to  this  sensual 
temper.  The  very  heathens  could  say  enough 
to  abash  this  censure,  and  to  remove  this  occa- 
sion of  shame,  though  the  gospel  of  Christ  does 
it  infinitely  better. 

Christianity  does  not  abridge  us  of  the  com- 
mon comforts  of  flesh  and  blood,  nor  lay  an  un- 
reasonable restraint  upon  any  natural  appetite  ; 
but  it  teaches  us  to  live  like  men,  and  not  like 
brutes ;  to  regulate  and  manage  our  animal 
nature  with  its  desires  and  inclinations,  so  as  to 
enjoy  life  in  the  most  proper  and  becoming 
manner  ;  to  eat  and  drink  and  taste  the  boun- 
ties of  Providence  to  the  honor  of  our  Creator, 
and  to  the  best  interest  of  our  souls. 

But  suppose,  we  were  forbid  all  the  indul- 
gence of  our  appetites  and  the  delights  of 
sense,  by  the  gospel ;  surely,  those  who  know 
what  intellectual  pleasures  are,  who  can  relish 
the  joy  that  belongs  to  spirits,  will  not  be  much 
terrified  with  these  objections,  nor  deride  the 
faith  of  Christ  because  it  does  not  propose  to 
them  the  reward  of  an  earthly  paradise.  The 
rewards  of  the  gospel  are  indeed  spiritual  till  the 
resurection,  but  those  spiritual  pleasures  shall 
vastly  over-balance  all  that  toil,  sorrow,  and  suf- 


36  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

fering  we  have  passed  through  on  earth,  and  all 
that  self-denial  which  we'have  exercised.  But 
when  the  body  shall  be  raised  again,  our  refined 
delights,  of  all  kinds,  shall  be  infinitely  satisfying: 
We  shall  not  say,  that  God  has  dealt  out  happi- 
ness to  us  with  a  niggardly  hand,  but  that  he  has 
exceeded  all  his  promises,  when  we  shall  come 
to  taste  the  things  God  has  prepared  for  us, 
which  eye  has  not  seen,  or  ear  heard  of. 

4.  Another  prejudice  against  the  gospel  is 
this.  Some  persons  charge  it  with  much  of  en- 
thusiasm ;  and  that  the  doctrine  of  the  opera- 
tions of  the  Spirit,  and  the  expectation  of  his 
divine  assistance  to  instruct  us  in  truth,  to  mor- 
tify sin  in  us,  and  to  enable  us  to  perform  holy 
duties,  has  too  much  of  a  visionary  and  fanciful 
turn  of  mind,  and  does  not  become  men  that 
profess  reason. 

But,  if  such  objectors  were  but  better  ac- 
quainted with  themselves,  and  knew  the  weak- 
ness of  their  own  reason  in  the  search  after 
truth,  and  the  various  and  plausible  errors  that 
attend  their  inquiries  on  every  side  ;  if  they 
were  better  acquainted  with  the  strength  of 
temptation,  the  power  of  their  own  sinful  ap- 
petites, and  the  weakness  of  their  will  to  resist 
sin,  and  to  fulfil  the  rules  of  righteousness; 
surely,  they  would  not  think  it  a  thing  to  lift  up 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  3*7 

a  prayer  to  the  great  God  to  guide  them  into 
truth,  and  to  assist  them  to  walk  steadily  in  the 
paths  of  religion  and  virtue.  If  they  had  but 
a  deep  and  lively  sense  of  their  own  insufficiency 
for  every  thing  that's  good,  and  of  the  many 
dangers  and  enemies  that  beset  them,they  would 
rather  see  infinite  reason  to  bless  their  Creator, 
that  has  given  them  any  promise  or  hope  of  the 
aids  of  his  grace. 

Nor  is  it  at  all  fantastical  or  irrational  to  sup- 
pose, that  the  great  and  blessed  God,  who  made 
these  spirits  of  ours,  should  kindly  act  upon 
them,  and  influence  them  by  secret  and  divine 
methods,  to  their  duty  and  their  happiness ; 
that  he  should  send  his  own  Spirit  to  help 
them  onward  in  their  proper  business,  which  is 
to  serve  him  here,  and  assist  them  in  pursuit 
of  their  true  blessedness,  which  is  to  enjoy  him 
hereafter. 

Methinks  it  is  one  of  the  glories  of  this  gos- 
pel of  Christ,  that  God  has  not  only  sent  his 
Son  to  purchase  heaven  for  us,  but  continually 
sends  down  his  own  Spirit  to  lead  every  hum- 
ble Christian  in  the  way  thither.  When  a 
poor  penitent  creature,  distressed  under  a  sense 
of  the  power  of  sin  dwelling  in  him,  who  has 
long  and  often  toiled  and  labored  to  bring  his 
heart  near  to  God,  and  to  suppress  the  irregu- 


38  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

lar  and  exorbitant  appetites  of  his  nature,  ad- 
dresses himself  to  the  throne  of  God,  and  cries 
earnestly  for  divine  help ;  it  is  a  glorious  provi- 
sion that  is  made  in  the  gospel  of  Christ,  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  is  promised  for  our  assistance. 
Nor  is  at  all  unworthy  of  a  person  of  the  great- 
est reason,  and  the  best  understanding,  hum- 
bly to  wait  and  hope  for  the  accomplishment 
of  this  promise.  Thus  the  charge  of  enthu- 
siasm vanishes,  and  the  gospel  maintains  its 
honor. 

5.  The  last  objection  against  the  doctrines  of 
the  gospel  of  Christ  is,  that  'they  are  not  suffi- 
ciently attested,  that  there  is  not  ground 
enough  given  to  credit  the  divinity  of  them  in 
our  age.' 

They  are  ready  to  say,  '  These  things  were 
done  (according  as  ourselves  profess)  above 
sixteen  hundred  years  ago,  and  we  have  not 
sufficient  credentials  to  venture  our  faith  upon 
at  this  day.' 

It  would  be  too  long  here  to  repeat  over  to 
you  half  the  grounds  we  have  for  faith  in  this 
gospel.  That  there  was  such  a  man  as  Jesus 
Christ ;  that  he  lived  at  such  a  time  at  Jerusa- 
lem ;  that  he  wrought  wonderful  works  in  his 
own  country,  is  not  at  all  disbelieved  by  those 
that  profess  any  reasonable  faith  in  human 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  39 

history.  The  Jews  themselves,  who  were  his 
greatest  enemies,  do  not  deny  that  he  wrought 
those  miracles,  which  others  could  not  work ; 
but  they  pretended  that  he  did  it  by  some 
magic  art,  by  diabolical  charms ;  and  wrought 
miracles,  not  "by  the  power  of  God,  but  by  vir- 
tue derived  from  spells  and  evil  spirits.  So 
that  the  miracles  he  wrought  were  not  disbe- 
lieved and  denied,  but  the  heavenly  spring  of 
them  is  impiously  perverted  and  turned  down- 
ward, as  though  Christ  borrowed  his  power 
from  hell  to  transact  these  affairs.  But  the 
holiness  and  the  heavenly  temper  of  the  gospel 
of  Christ,  refutes  this  accusation.  Satan  was 
never  known  to  demolish  his  own  kingdom  of 
ungodliness  in  such  a  manner  as  this.  The 
gospel  of  Christ,  in  every  part  of  it,  has  a  most 
singular  and  sublime  tendency  to  advance  the 
name,  the  attributes  and  the  honor  of  God, 
whom  Satan  hates  with  a  perfect  hatred.  He 
would  never  lend  his  assisting  hand  to  support 
a  scheme  of  religion  so  divine  and  holy. 

Never  was  any  body  of  doctrines  and  of 
duties  so  composed  and  calculated  to  promote 
the  glory  of  God,  nor  the  good  of  man,  as  this 
gospel  does.  Our  peace  and  happiness  would 
be  secured  by  it  on  earth,  if  all  men  would 
comply  with  it,  and  our  felicity  after  death  is 


40  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

the  great  and  indefeasible  proposal  and  design 
of  it.  Now  Satan  is  a  restless  enemy  to  men 
his  fellow-creatures,  as  well  as  to  God  his 
Maker ;  and  he  would  never  exert  the  remains 
of  his  angelic  power  to  encourage  and  defend 
such  a  pious  and  beneficent  religion. 

But  the  most  amazing  progress  and  success 
of  the  gospel,  is  another  argument  that  proves 
it  to  be  divine,  even  when  devils  and  magicians 
opposed  it  as  well  as  princes  and  philosophers. 
That  the  gospel  itself,  without  the  force  of  arms, 
that  a  naked  gospel,should  spread  itself  through- 
out the  world,  in  so  short  a  space  of  time,  and 
that  by  the  preaching  of  a  few  despised  persons, 
and  several  of  them  fishermen  that  were  utterly 
unlearned :  that  this  gospel  should  triumph 
over  all  the  powers  and  policies  of  men  and 
hell :  that  it  should  make  its  way  in  opposition 
to  the  wisdom  of  philosophers,  and  the  will  of 
princes,  and  all  the  temptations  and  terrors  of 
this  world  :  this  is  another  miracle,  which  per- 
haps is  as  divine  and  convincing  as  any  of  the 
preceding  wonders  that  attested  this  gospel, 
when  it  was  first  preached. 

I  add  also  the  testimony  of  prophecy  to  that 
of  miracles.  The  wondrous  and  exact  accom- 
plishment of  many  prophecies,  since  our  Lord 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  41 

Jesus  Christ  dwelt  on  earth  in  the  days  of  his 
flesh,  confirm  his  gospel.  The  prophecies  that 
he  himself  gave  forth  from  God  is  another  tes- 
timony to  this  gospel,  which  is  uncontrolable. 
The  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the  time  and 
methods  of  its  destruction,  and  the  terrors  of  it, 
may  be  read  in  Matthew,  xxiv.  And  if  you 
read  the  history  of  Josephus,  a  Jew,  you  find 
so  many  parallels,  that  you  must  say  Christ  did 
foretel  it  indeed. 

I  might  here  subjoin  the  predictions  of  the 
apostles,  particularly  that  of  St.  Paul  and  St. 
John,  concerning  the  rise  and  spirit  of  Anti- 
christ, wherein  the  church  of  Rome  so  clearly 
answers  the  language  of  the  visions  and  pro- 
phecies. 

But  the  brightest  and  most  uncontrolable 
witness  of  prophecy  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel, 
is  the  most  exact  and  punctual  accomplish- 
ments of  all  the  predictions  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, in  the  life  and  death,  the  resurrection 
and  glory  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  From  the 
first  promise  given  to  Adam  in  the  garden, 
down  to  the  words  of  Malachi,  the  last  of  the 
prophets,  you  find  every  thing  that  was  said 
of  him,  fulfilled  in  his  history.  And  thus 
the  books  of  the  Jews,  wherein  they  placed 
all  their  hopes,  confirm  the  gospel  of  Chrsit* 
d2 


42  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

and  refute  and  confound  their  own  infidelity  s 
so  that  if  ever  I  had  been  a  Jew,  and  did 
believe  Moses  and  the  prophets,  I  think  I  am 
constrained  to  be  a  Christian,,  and  believe  in 
Jesus  Christ. 

Thus  I  have  endeavored  to  answer  those 
objections  against  the  gospel,  which  are  pre- 
tended to  arise  from  the  truths  or  doctrines 
of  it :  and  before  I  proceed  to  answer  those, 
cavils  which  are  raised  against  it  because  of 
the  professors  of  it,  I  must  finish  the  present 
discourse  with  a  word  or  two  of  improve- 
ment. 

Use  1.  If  this  be  a  gospel  not  to  be  ashamed 
of,  then  study  it  well :  learn  the  truths  and 
doctrines  of  it  thoroughly :  truths  and  doc- 
trines which  St.  Paul,  so  wise  and  so  great  a 
man,  did  not  blush  to  profess,  and  preach,  and 
die  for.  Value  it  as  he  valued  it:  the  more 
you  know  it,  the  more  you  will  esteem  it ;  and 
the  better  you  are  acquainted  with  all  the  glo- 
rious articles  of  it,  the  less  you  will  be  ashamed 
of  it:  the  divine  harmony  of  the  whole  will  cast 
a  beauty  and  lustre  on  every  part. 

Use  2.  Furnish  yourselves  with  arguments 
for  it  daily,  that  you  may  profess  it  without 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  43 

shame,  and  defend  it  without  blushing.  This  is 
a  day  of  temptation,  and  you  know  not  what 
conversation  you  may  be  called  into  by  divine 
Providence ;  you  know  not  what  cavils  you  may 
meet  with  to  assault  your  faith,  and  attack 
Christianity.  Be  ready,  therefore,  to  give  rea- 
sons of  the  hope  that  is  in  you,  and  to  make  a  just 
and  pertinent  reply  to  gainsayers,  and  to  con- 
vince those,  if  possible,  that  are  led  away  captive 
by  the  wiles  of  the  devil,  to  forsake  Christ  and 
his  gospel.  Let  not  every  turn  of  wit  or  sleight 
of  argument  and  sophistry,  make  you  waver  in 
your  faith.  It  is  a  gospel  that  will  bear  the 
trial  of  reasonings  and  reproaches.  It  has 
something  in  itself  that  is  divine,  and  therefore 
it  is  able  to  support  the  professors,  of  it  against 
an  army  of  cavillers. 

Use  3.  Submit  to  all  the  institutions  of  it. 
Profess  the  whole  of  this  gospel ;  not  only  the 
doctrines,  but  the  ordinances  of  this  gospel,  are 
divine  and  glorious ;  they  have  something  ia 
them  that  show  they  come  from  God,  and  they 
have  something  in  them  that  evidently  leads  to 
God.  They  have  all  something  in  their  sense 
and  signification  that  discovers  divinity.  Wait 
upon  God,  therefore,  in  all  his  ordinances  in  the 
assemblies  of  Christians,  that  you  may  see  his 


44  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

power  and  his  glory,  in  his  own  sanctuary  ;  and 
that  you  may,  from  your  own  experience,  be 
able  to  say,  that  the  gospel  is  too  great,  too 
glorious,  too  divine  a  thing  in  its  doctrine  and 
worship,  and  in  all  its  institutions,  for  you 
ever  to  be  ashamed  of.  It  has  now,  for  six- 
teen ages  endured  the  test  of  the  wit  and  the 
rage  of  earth  and  hell,  and  it  shall  stand  in 
power  and  glory,  till  the  heavens  be  no  more. 
Amen., 


A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE  OF  THE  GOSPEL: 
OR, 

COURAGE  IN  PROFESSING  CHRISTIANITY. 


Rom.  i.  16. 

/  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  for 
it  is  th*e  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every 
one  that  believeth. 

PART   SECOND. 

There  are  many  in  the  world  who  call  them- 
selves Christians,  and  boast  in  the  name  ;  yet 
if  you  ask  them  what  the  gospel  of  Christ  is, 
they  are  either  struck  into  confusion  and  silence, 
or  they  give  such  an  awkward  and  impertinent 
answer,  as  sufficiently  discovers  they  know  little 
of  the  religion  of  Christ,  or  of  the  sacred  name 
into  which  they  were  baptized.  Now,  that  we 
may  act  and  speak  as  becomes  persons  indued 
with  reason,  I  thought  it  necessary  at  first,  to 
give  some  account  what  this  gospel  is,  that 
you  might  know  and  understand  the  religion 
which  you  profess ;  and  if  ye  will  glory  in  the 


46  a  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

name  of  Christian,  ye  may  be  able  to  tell  what 
it  is  you  mean  by  Christianity. 

By  reading  the  books  of  the  New  Testament 
wherein  the  gospel  is  contained,  you  will  find 
this  to  be  the  sum  and  substance  of  it,  viz: 
*  That  it  is  a  wise,  a  holy,  and  a  gracious  consti- 
tution of  God,  for  the  recovery  of  sinful  man,  by 
sending  his  own  Son  Jesus  Christ  into  the  flesh, 
to  obey  his  law  which  man  had  broken,  to  make 
a  proper  atonement  for  sin  by  his  death,  and 
thus  to  procure  the  favor  of  God  an^  eternal 
happiness,  for  all  that  believe  and  repent,  and 
receive  this  offered  salvation ;  together  with  a 
promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  work  this  faith 
and  repentance  in  their  hearts,  to  renew  their 
sinful  natures  unto  holiness,  to  form  them  on 
earth  fit  for  this  happiness,  and  to  bring  them 
to  the  full  possession  of  it  in  heaven/ 

I  have  shewn,  in  the  next  place,  what  St. 
Paul  meant,  when  he  told  the  Romans,  he  '  was 
not  ashamed  of  this  gospel :'  he  was  neither 
ashamed  to  believe  it  as  a  man,  nor  to  profess 
it  as  a  Christian,  nor  to  preach  it  to  others  as  a 
minister,  nor  to  defend  it  as  a  good  soldier  of 
Christ,  nor  to  suffer  and  die  for  it  as  a  martyr. 

The  third  thing,  which  I  proposed,  was  to 
make   it  appear,  that  'all   the  occasions  of 


OP  THE  GOSPEL.  47 

shame,  which  men  of  infidelity  pretend  to  raise 
from  this  gospel,  may  be  answered  upon  the 
fair  and  just  principles  of  reason  and  argument.' 
The  first  sort  of  reproaches  are  those  which 
are  cast  upon  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  and 
I  hope  I  have  rolled  them  away. 

I  repeat  no  more  of  these  things,  but  pro- 
ceed to  the  next  sort  of  occasions  of  shame, 
and  these  are  such  as  are  supposed  to  arise 
from  the  professors  of  this  Gospel ;  and  I  shall 
endeavor  to  shew  you  also  how  they  may  be 
answered.     They  are  chiefly  these  four. 

I.  Some  will  say,  cThe  professors  of  this 
gospel,in  the  beginnh  g,were  the  weak  and  fool- 
ish and  mean  things  of  this  world ;  but  it  was 
despised  by  the  wise,  it  was  scorned  by  the 
great  and  honorable,  and  persecuted  by  the 
mighty.  Why  should  a  Paul,  a  Pharisee,  a 
Doctor  of  the  Law,  become  the  follower  of  a 
carpenter's  son,  and  associate  with  a  parcel  of 
fishermen  ?  This  is  a  scandal,  and  foolish  in- 
deed. Who  among  the  Pharisees  or  the  riders, 
have  beli  ved  on  m?  John  vii.  48.'  This  was 
the  stumbling  block  of  the  gospel  in  that  age, 
and  it  is  the  stumbling  block  at  which  many 
persons  take  offe  ce  in  our  age,  too.  «  It  is  the 
unthinking  multitude,'  say  they,  'the  mere  mob 
of  mankind,  that  ai  e  led  away  with  the  noise  of 


48  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

strange  things  and  the  gospel.  And  it  is  only 
those  who  have  no  relish  of  good  sense,  that 
can  dispense  with  mysteries.  The  poorer  and 
weaker  sort  of  men  and  women  flock  after  your 
powerful  preachers  of  the  gospel,  but  wise  men 
despise  it.' 

I  am  very  glad,  my  friends,  if  in  your  con- 
versation you  meet  with  no  such  persons  that 
ridicule  the  gospel  at  this  rate.  But  there  are 
many  in  our  age  and  nation,  arrived  at  this 
height  of  pride  and  contempt  of  the  gospel. 

This  objection  may  have  more  answers  than 
one  given  to  it ;  as  first,  It  is  a  matter  of  unjust 
reproach,  and  it  is  false  in  fact ;  for  all  the  pro- 
fessors of  this  gospel  are  not  weak  and  unlearn- 
ed. There  have  been  in  the  very  beginning  of 
Christianity  some  wise,  some  great  persons, 
that  have  given  testimony  to  this  gospel,  by 
their  believing  it.  St.  Paul  was  a  man  of  no 
weak  reason,  no  mean  understanding,  no  small 
learning,  and  yet  he  believes  this  gospel,  and 
professes  he  is  not  ashamed  of  it. 

And  there  have  been  in  most  ages  of  the 
church,  some  instances  of  the  power  and  suc- 
cess of  this  gospel,  in  converting  philosophers, 
and  senators,  and  princes.  The  learned  the 
ingenious,  and  the  noble  amongst  mankind, 
have  sometimes   given    up  their  names  to 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  49 

Christ,  have  yielded  their  assent  to  his  doctrines, 
and  conformed  their  hearts  and  lives  to  the 
rules  of  his  gospel.  Men  of  wit  and  reason 
have  been  converted  to  the  faith,  and  then 
have  exerted  their  peculiar  talents  in  the  de- 
fence of  Christianity,  and  they  have  convinced 
the  world  that  they  had  neither  left  their  rea- 
son nor  their  wit  behind  them,  when  they 
became  Christians.  Men  of  grandeur  and 
power  have  sometimes  also  supported  it  with 
honor. 

But  the  number  of  these  has  not  been  ex- 
ceeding great.  God  has  ordained  that  there 
should  be  sorne^  to  show  that  it  is  no  foolish 
and  unreasonable  doctrine  ;  that  it  is  not  a  reli- 
gion unworthy  of  kings,  nor  unbecoming  the 
wisest  and  the  greatest  of  characters.  But  if 
there  have  been  but  few  great  and  wise  who 
have  embraced  it,  it  is  evident  that  its  success 
and  glory  is  not  owing  to  the  wisdom  and  pow- 
er of  men,  but  to  the  divinity  of  its  doctrines, 
and  the  power  of  God. 

Besides,  I  might  tell  you  secondly,  that 
riches,  and  grandeur,  and  elevated  degrees  of 
wit  and  learning,  become  a  sore  temptation  to 
pride  of  mind  and  self-sufficiency.  Now  the 
faith  of  the  gospel  is  founded  in  humility,  and 
self-diffidence,  and  poverty  of  spirit ;  and  this  is 


50  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

one  plain  reason  why  it  was  received  by  so  few 
of  the  rich,  and  the  learned,  and  the  mighty 
among  men,  though  it  was  contrived  and  in- 
vented by  God  himself. 

I  answer,  in  the  third  place,  that  it  is  one  of 
the  designed  characters  of  the  true  gospel  of 
Christ,  and  it  is  foretold  by  the  ancient  prophets, 
that  when  it  should  come  to  be  preached  upon 
the  earth,  the  poor-should  receive  it.  Its  recep- 
tion by  the  poor  and  weak  among  men,  is  one 
evidence  that  it  comes  from  God ;  Matth.  xi.  5. 
When  John  the  Baptist  sent  his  disciples  to 
our  Saviour,  to  know  whether  he  was  the  Mes- 
siah, or  must  they  expect  another  ?  Go  tell 
John,  the  blind  receive  sight,  the  deaf  hear,  and 
the  lame  walk,  and  to  the  poor  the  gospel  is 
preached ;  blessed  is  he  that  is  not  offended  in 
me,  &c.  Go  and  give  John  this  very  account 
I  now  relate  to  you,  and  tell  him  these  are  my 
credentials,  these  are  the  testimonials  I  bring. 
John  will  infer  that  I  am  the  Messiah,  and  this 
is  the  true  gospel  that  I  preach ;  for  the  great 
and  rich,  and  the  pretenders  to  wisdom  among 
the  Jews,  account  it  a  stone  of  stumbling,  and 
a  rock  of  offence,  and  only  a  few  of  the  poor 
receive  it,  as  it  was  foretold  by  the  prophets. 

Each  of  us  may  say,  therefore,  if  only  the 
wise,  or  the  great,  or  the  rich  believed  it,  it 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  51 

must  have  been  such  a  gospel  as  I  could  never 
have  believed  ;  for  it  wanted  one  character 
which  is  necessarily  adjoined  to  it,  that  is,  that 
the  poor  receive  the  gospel.  Father,  I  thank 
thee,  says  our  Lord,  that  thou  hast  hid  these 
things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  but  thou 
hast  revealed  them  unto  babes  :  Math.  xi.  25. 
It  pleased  God,  when  the  world  by  wisdom 
knew  not  God,  to  darken  all  their  wisdom,  and 
turn  it  into  folly;  and  to  call  those  that  were 
esteemed  fools,  and  make  them  wise  in  believ- 
ing the  gospel  of  Christ.  It  has  pleased  God 
to  choose  the  mean  and  weak  and  contempti- 
ble things  of  this  world,  to  confound  the  wise 
and  mighty.  It  has  pleased  him  to  choose  the 
things  that  are  not,  to  bring  to  nought  the 
things  that  are,  that  no  flesh  might  glory  in 
his  presence  ;  1  Cor.  i.  27,  &c. 

II.  It  is  another  occasion  of  stumbling  or 
shame  in  the  gospel  of  Christ,  that  some  of  the 
professors  of  it  are  vicious  in  their  lives.  <  Will 
you  believe  such  a  gospel,'  says  an  infidel,  'that 
does  not  restrain  the  professors  of  it  from  the 
worst  of  sins.' 

This,  I  confess,  gives  it  great  dishonor  among 
the  men  of  the  world,  and  is  sometimes  ready 
to  shake  the  faith  of  younger  Christians  ;  they 
know  not  how  to  go  on  farther  in  Christianity, 


5£  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

for  such  and  such  that  made  great  profession, 
you  see  how  they  are  fallen.  This  is  a  com- 
mon temptation  of  the  devil ;  it  is  a  frequent 
snare,  and  there  hath  been  many  a  pious  soul 
that  hath  been  in  danger  of  being  caught 
thereby.  The  vices  of  some  professors  were 
great,  even  in  St.  Paul's  days :  there  were 
some  among  the  PhiHippians,  Phil.  iii.  18,  of 
whom  I  have  told  you  often,  and  now  even 
weeping,  that  they  walk  as  enemies  to  the 
cross  of  Christ,  and  'east  scandal  and  shame 
upon  it.  It  makes  my  eyes  flow  with  tears, 
and  my  soul  bleed  within  me,  to  hear  of  it : 
the  gospel  of  Christ  is  so  much  dishonored  by 
these  means.' 

But  if  we  take  a  nearer  view,  we  shall  see 
that  no  doctrine  ought  to  fare  the  worse,  be- 
cause some  wicked  men  are  professors  of  it. 
It  was  not  counted  a  discredit  to  philosophy, 
that  some  of  the  professors  of  it,  who  hated  the 
Gospel,  were  vicious  in  their  lives.  I  would  ask 
the  deist  now,  is  there  any  ground  to  disbe- 
lieve natural  religion,  because  there  are  some 
that  make  profession  of  it,  are  fallen  into  great 
sins  ?  The  gospel  itself  teaches  us  to  deny  all 
ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  does  not  in-, 
dulge  one  of  them.  And  they  are  said  to  b* 
enemies  to  the  cross  of  Christ,  when  their  cov. 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  53 

vernation  is  all  earthly,  when  their  God  is  their 
belly,  and  their  glory  is  their  shame.  This  is  no 
fault  of  the  gospel,  for  they  felt  not  the  power 
of  it.  Nor  is  there  any  religion  or  profession  in 
the  world,  that  would  have  had  any  followers  at 
all,  if  men  must  have  entirely  cashiered  that 
religion,  because  there  have  been  some  per- 
sons vicious  that  have  been  professors  of  it. — 
There  is  no  sect,  no  religion  in  the  world, 
though  the  institution  and  the  rules  of  it  have 
been  ever  so  pious,  but  what  has  produced 
some  persons  that  have  been  vicious  in  their 
lives. 

But  this  cavil  is  still  carried  on,  and  urged 
with  much  vehemence.  '  If  the  gospel  of  Christ 
were  a  religion  so  heavenly,  and  so  divine  in 
its  original,  as  you  pretend,  surely  the  nations 
that  profess  it,  would  eminently  exceed  all 
other  nations  in  piety,  in  justice  and  goodness; 
whereas,  the  nations  that  no\v-a-days  embrace 
Christianity,  are  not  at  all  superior  to  the  Ma- 
hometans, nor  to  some  of  the  heathens,  either 
in  duty  that  relates  to  God  or  man  :  and  if  we 
may  give  credit  to  ancient  history,  the  virtues 
of  the  old  Romans,  long  before  the  days  of  Ju- 
lius Caesar,  shone  much  brighter  than  any  of 
the  virtues  of  the  baptized  nations :  there  was 
more  truth  and  honesty,  more  devotion  to  the 


54  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

heavenly  powers,  more  of  a  public  spirit  anct 
zeal  for  their  country's  good,  than  we  can  find 
in  any  Ghrislian  kingdoms  or  states  now-a-days. 
To  this  I  would  give  these  three  answers.' 

1st,  The  account  which  we  have  of  the 
shining  virtues  of  these  best  ages  of  heathenism, 
is  given  us  only  by  their  own  posterity  who 
lived  in  succeeding  ages.  Now  it  is  the  well 
known  temper  and  custom  of  mankind,  to  mag- 
nify the  virtue  of  their  ancestors,  and  to  say, 
that  the  former  times  were  better  than  these  . 
but  you  have  scarce  any  heathen  writers  who 
do  not  describe  their  own  age  as  vicious  enough, 
if  they  have  occasion  to  talk  upon  that  subject, 
And,  therefore,  there  is  just  reason  to  suspect 
the  strict  truth  of  these  encomiums  of  their 
forefathers. 

2dly,  Although  some  social  virtues  in  a  hea- 
then country  might  really  flourish  more  for  an, 
age  or  two  springing  from  the  principles  of  ambi- 
tion, and  honor,  and  love  to  their  own  coun- 
try; yet  there  were  such  vices  also  practised 
among  many  of  the  Gentile  nations,  which  are 
seldom  heard  or  known  among  Christians  :  the 
apostle  describes  them  in  Rom.  i.  26,  and  that 
in  such  a  manner,  as  leads  us  to  believe  that 
they  were  practised  by  those  who  professed 
wisdom  among  them. 


0T  THE  GOSPEL.  55 

It  must  be  acknowledged,  also,  that  these 
nations  were  gross  idolaters,  and  worshipped 
many  gods ,  and  that  even  in  the  times  when 
their  social  virtues  were  most  conspicuous. 
Now,  this  is  most  highly  criminal  in  the  sight  of 
the  great  and  Sovereign  God,  the  Creator  of  all 
things  :  and  the  warmer  and  the  more  zealous 
were  their  devotions,  which  they  paid  to  these 
idols,  with  the  neglect  or  contempt  of  the  true 
God,  the  greater  was  their  guilt  and  abomina- 
tion. 

But  3dly,  The  chief  answer  I  give  is  this, 
that  when  whole  kingdoms  are  made  Christians 
merely  by  birth,  education  and  custom,  it  is  not 
to  be  supposed  that  a  twentieth  part  of  them 
believe  the  gospel  upon  any  just  and  reasonble 
principles  of  knowledge  and  choice.  When 
whole  cities  and  nations  are  worshippers  of 
Christ,  no  otherwise  than  the  Ephesians  were 
worshippers  of  Diana,  or  the  Turks  of  Mahomet, 
it  is  not  reasonable  to  expect  that  there  should 
be  much  difference  in  the  virtues  of  such  a  na- 
tional sort  of  Christians,  Mahometans,  or  hea- 
thens ;  for  the  principle  from  which  all  their 
religion  springs  is  the  same,  namely,  their  edu- 
cation, custom  and  fashion  of  their  country ; 
and  therefore,  their  vices  are  much  the  same  as 
they  would  be  according  to  the  present  reign- 


56  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

ing  humour,  disposition,  or  political  temper  of 
the  nation,  whatsoever  were  their  form  of  reli- 
gion and  their  established  worship. 

The  true  way,  therefore,  to  put  those  things 
to  the  test,  is  to  consider  those  Christians  only 
who  believe  and  profess  the  gospel  from  know- 
ledge, and  choice,  and  inward  conviction,  and 
who  make  their  religion  a  matter  of  solemnity 
and  importance,  and  not  of  mere  form  and  cus- 
tom. Now,  if  you  seperate  these  from  the  rest  of 
mankind,  I  am  well  assured,  that  as  bad  as  the 
Christian  world  is,  you  will  find  all  the  human 
and  divine  virtues  more  gloriously  practised:  ' 
among  such  Christians  as  these,  than  among 
an  equal  number  of  the  professors  of  any  other 
religion  under  the  sun:  for  inward  Christianity, 
and  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  when  it  si  built  upon 
just  foundations,  wilt  necessarily  draw  along 
with  it  such  a  train  of  virtues  and  graces  as 
shall  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour ; 
and  by  such  a  comparison  as  this,  men  would 
be  constrained  to  confess  that  God  is  among 
us  of  a  truth. 

III.  The  various  and  divided  opinions,  the 
sects  and  parties  that  are  found  in  the  Christian 
world,  have  been  another  occasion  of  scandal 
and  offence  to  the  infidels.  '  How  can  we  ever 
come,'  say  they,  *to  any  certainty  what  your 


I 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  «*« 

religion  is,  since  you  do  not  agree  about  it  among 
yourselves  V 

<  All  Europe  pretends  to  be  Christian,  and  to 
believe  the  gospel ;  yet  France,  and  Spain,  and 
Italy,  and  Poland,  and  a  good  part  of  Germany, 
tells  us  that  true  Christianity  is  found  only 
amongst  them.  But  in  the  countries  of  Den- 
mark and  Sweden,  and  the  northern  parts  of 
Germany,  and  in  the  British  Islands,  there  is 
another  religion  professed,  of  a  very  different 
kind,  and  they  call  theirs  the  pure  gospel  and 
reformed  Christianity.  The  Protestant  and  the 
Papist  divide  these  western  parts  of  the  world, 
and  they  are  ready  to  tear  one  another  to 
pieces  upon  the  account  of  their  different  opi- 
nions and  practices.  Now  if  the  books  that  con- 
tain the  religion  of  Christ  be  of  so  very  un- 
certain sense  and  signification,  truly  we  are 
ashamed  of  such  a  doubtful  religion  ;  it  is  even 
as  well  for  us  to  content  ourselves  with  the  re- 
ligion that  the  light  of  nature  teaches  us,  and 
the  dictates  of  our  own  common  reason,  which 
we  think  has  more  certainty  in  it.* 

To  this,  I  answer,  that  it  is  a  great  mistake  ta 
imagine  that  the  light  of  nature  and  reason,  if 
left  entirely  to  itself  in  this  corrupt  and  fallen 
state,  has  more  certainty  in  its  determinations 
than  Scripture  hath.     How  many  wild  opinions. 


58  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

hath  the  corrupt  mind  of  man  produced  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  heathen  world,  and  this 
same  light  of  nature  has  not  corrected  them  ? 
What  infinite  diversity  of  vain  and  monstrous 
fancies  hath  past  for    religion   and  devotion 
among  them?     And  the  light  of  nature  has 
been  supposed  to  dictate  some  of  them,  for 
they  did  not  always  pretend  revelation  for  them. 
There  have  been  wide  and  irreconcilable  differ- 
ences among  the  philosophers,  as  well  as  among 
the  priests  and  the  people  of  different  nations. 
The  light  of  nature  and  reason  is  a  poor  dark 
bewildered  thing,  if  it  hath  no  commerce,  nor 
communication  with  persons  who  have  been 
favoured  with  Divine  Revelation.     It  is  only 
the  scripture  that  has  established  and  ascer- 
tained the  doctrines  of  natural  religion :  and  it 
is  to  the  scripture  that  the  deist  of  our  age  are 
obliged  for  their  greater  acquaintance  with  na- 
tural religion  than  ever  their  forefathers,  the 
heathen  philosophers,  arrived  at,  though  they 
are  too  proud  to  acknowledge  it.   If  they  agree 
better,  and  are  more  uniform  in  their  principles 
now  than  the  old  Epicureans,  the  Stoicks,  and 
the  Platonists  were,  it  is  all  owing  to  a  more 
intimate   acquaintance  with   the    writings    of 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  the  evangelists  and 
the  apostles  ;  so  that  it  is  with  a  very  ill  grace 


OP  THE  GOSPEL.  59 

that  our  present  infidels  can  object  to  Christians 
their  difference  of  opinions,  and  pretend  that 
this  is  a  ground  of  shame  to  the  gospel  of* 
Christ,  and  a  reason  why  they  do  not  believe 
or  profess  it. 

But  I  come  now  to  give  some  account  of  the 
true  reasons  of  such  divisions  of  sect  and  party, 
among  Christians.  There  are  two  great  causes 
of  these  divisions,  and  the  charge  is  not  to  be 
laid  upon  the  gospel  of  Christ,  nor  upon  the 
books  that  contain  it. 

1.  The  first  cause  is,  that  the  Papist  does 
not  pretend  to  derive  his  religion  merely  from, 
the  Bible  ;  but  he  brings  in  the  Jewish  Apocry- 
phal writers  of  ancient  ages,  and  lays  them  also 
for  a  foundation  of  his  faith ;  and  he  makes  the 
traditions  of  the  Christian  Church,  which  he  pre- 
tends to  have  been  delivered  down  from  age  to 
age,of  almost  the  same  authority  as  the  scripture 
itself:  and  some  of  their  authors  have  raised 
these  traditions  to  equal  dignity  with  the  scrip- 
ture, as  being  built  upon  the  same  foundation, 
viz.  the  authority  of  the  church.  As  they -have 
many  things  in  their  religion  which  they  can- 
not find  in  the  word  of  God,  so  they  think  it  is 
sufficient  if  they  can  support  them  by  these  pre- 
tended traditions  of  the  church.  Whereas,  the 
Protestant  takes  nothing  for  the  ground  of 


60  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

his  faith,  but  the  books  of  the  Old  and  Ne\v 
Testament;  and  what  he  cannot  find  written 
there,  nor  derived  thence  by  most  obvious  and 
evident  consequences,  he  does  not  profess  it  as 
any  necessary  part  of  his  Christianity.  The 
religion  of  the  Protestant,  therefore,  is  abun- 
dantly more  conformable  to  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
both  in  the  doctrines  and  the  worship  of  it,  be- 
cause it  derives  the  whole  from  the  word  of 
God :  but  it  is  no  wonder  at  all  that  there 
should  be  such  a  difference  between  them  and 
the  Papists,  when  they  lay  such  different  foun- 
dations for  their  faith  and  practice. 

2.  Another  reason  why  the  Protestant  and 
Papist  differ  so  much,  is,  because  the  Papist 
pretends  that  there  is  an  infallible  judge  among 
them  to  determine  all  controversies ;  and  that 
their  popes  and  their  councils,  which  they  call 
the  church,  have  authority  to  appoint  what 
shall  be  esteemed  the  true  articles  of  faith,  and 
to  bring  in  rites  and  ceremonies  into  their  wor- 
ship, according  to  their  own  invention  and  plea- 
sure. And  that  all  the  people  are  bound  to 
believe  as  the  church  bids  them  believe,  and  to 
practise  in  matters  of  worship,  whatsoever  the 
church  bids  them  practise :  and  upon  this  ac- 
count they  forbid  the  Scripture  to  be  read  by 
the  common  people,  that  they  may  not  learn 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  61 

the  truth  of  the  gospel,  but  may  take  all  for 
gospel  which  they  teach  them,  and  be  con- 
tent with  it.  Whereas,  the  Protestant  has  noth- 
ing else  but  his  Bible  to  have  recourse  to  for 
the  conclusion  of  all  controversies ;  and  he 
encourages  every  man  to  use  his  Bible,  and  to 
judge  for  himself  concerning  the  sense  and 
meaning  of  it,  using  the  best  helps  that  he  can 
obtain  for  this  end :  the  Protestant  ministers 
teach  him  not  only  what  they  know  of  the 
gospel,  but  they  put  the  Bible  into  his  hand, 
and  bid  him  search  and  see  whether  things  are 
so  or  no,  that  thence  he  may  learn  what  are 
those  doctrines  and  those  duties  which  Christ 
has  required  him  to  believe  and  practise. 
Thence  it  comes  to  pass,  that  there  are  almost 
a  thousand  things  in  Popery,  which  the  Protes- 
tants utterly  disown,  because  they  disown  the 
power  of  the  pope,  or  church,  to  stamp  new 
articles  of  faith  or  invent  new  forms  of  worship. 
Object.  But  it  may  be  said  still,  there  are  so 
many  different  sects  and  parties  among  the 
Protestants  themselves,  as  encourages  the 
deist  to  maintain  his  charge  and  accusation. 
1  Why  do  you,'  saith  he,  'who  profess  to  derive 
all  your  religion  from  the  Scripture,  differ  so 
much  among  yourselves,  both  in  doctrine,  in 
worship,  and  in  the  order  of  your  churches,  if 


62  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

the  gospel  of  Christ  be  so  excellent  a  religion, 
and  if  the  books  that  contain  it  can  give  you 
so  plain  and  certain  a  knowledge  of  it  V 

I  answer,  that  almost  all  those  things  where- 
in Protestants  differ,  are  but  of  smaller  import- 
ance in  religion,  in  comparison  of  those  many 
and  great  things  wherein  they  agree.  The 
chief  and  most  important  points  of  Christianity 
are  written  with  so  much  plainness  and  evidence 
in  the  word  of  God,  as  would  lead  all  humble, 
honest,  sincere  and  diligent  enquirers  into  a 
belief  of  them,  and  consent  in  them.  Now  it 
is  not  necessary  that  the  lesser  matters  of 
Christianity  should  be  written  down  so  express- 
ly in  scripture :  for  the  all-wise  God  thought  it 
proper  to  leave  many  of  these  articles  of  less 
importance  more  dubious  and  obscure,  both  to 
awaken  the  diligence  of  men  to  study  his  word 
and  to  leave  amongst  them  some  occasions  for 
the  exercise  of  their  mutual  charity  and  for- 
bearance. Our  Blessed  Lord  has  thought  it 
proper  to  put  the  universal  love  which  he  re- 
quires amongst  his  followers  to  this  test  or  trial 
to  see  whether  they  will  cultivate  peace  and 
charity  to  one  another  amidst  their  various  and 
divided  opinions  in  things  of  less  concernment. 
I  confess  there  are  some  differences  among 
Protestants  in  the  great  doctrines  of  the  Trinity, 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  63 

and  the  satisfaction  of  Christ,  which  must  be 
acknowledged  to  be  articles  of  very  high  mo- 
ment and  importance  in  Christianity.     But  if 
we  compare  those  few  who  profess  dangerous 
opinions  in  these  points,  with  the  millions  that 
agree  in  the  same  general  profession  of  faith,  it 
will  be  found  that  their  number  is  but  very  small. 
If  we  consider  the  great  ignorance  of  God  which 
is  found  in  all  men,  by  nature,  and  take  a  sur- 
vey of  the  unhappy  influences  that  education, 
fancy,  passion,  pride,  frendship,  aversion,  pre- 
cipitance and  laziness,  have  upon  mankind  in 
forming  their  judgments  and  opinions,  we  shall 
not  wonder  to  find  some  persons  here  and  there 
falling  into  strange  sentiments,  contrary  to  the 
plain  and  sufficient  evidence  of  scripture.     We 
believe  in  general,  that  whoever  puts  off  all  pre- 
judices, and  is  piously  sincere  in  his  search  of 
the  word  of  God,  shall  certainly  find,  through 
divine  assistance,  all  needful  truth.    If,  therefore, 
a  disbeliever  come  with  a  serious,  humble,  and 
pious  mind,  and  apply  himself  with  diligence  and 
fervent  prayer  to  read  the  scripture,  I  am  well 
assured  he    will  become  a  Christian,  and  find 
out  so  much  of  the  doctrines  and  duties  of  the 
gospel,  as  are  necessary  to  his  eternal  happi- 
ness. 

But  there  will  be  heresies  arising  sometimes 


64  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

in  the  church.  Tares  will  grow  up  sometimes 
in  the  field  that  is  ever  so  well  cultivated  and 
sown  with  corn  :  and  what  unknown  reasons 
there  may  be  in  the  counsels  and  providence  of 
God  in  permitting  heresies  to  arise  for  the 
farther  trial  of  his  own  people,  is  too  high  and 
hard  a  point  for  us  to  determine.  The  apostle 
saith,  1  Cor.  xi.  19;  There  must  he  also  here- 
sies among  you,  that  they  which  are  approved 
may  he  made  manifest.  If  such  a  thing  as  this 
is,  shall  be  abused  by  men  of  corrupt  minds,  to 
turn  them  quite  away  from  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
and  to  support  their  own  infidelity,  they  must 
answer  for  it  at  the  great  day  to  Christ  their 
Judge. 

Thus  I  have  done  with  the  third  charge  or 
accusation  brought  against  the  gospel,  and  re- 
moved the  scandal  and  shame  that  some  men 
have  thrown  upon  it,  because  there  are  such 
sects,  and  parties,  and  divided  opinions  among 
the  professors  of  it. 

IV.  Another  occasion  of  scandal  which  infi- 
dels charge  upon  the  gospel  of  Christ,  is  this, 
<  That  some  who  have  long  professed  it  have  for- 
saken it;  and  one  should  be  ashamed  to  em- 
brace such  a  faith  as  this  is,  for  it  has  been  tried 
and  found  to  be  vain  and  groundless,  even  by 
those  who  have  known  it  long  and  searched  it 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  65 

through  and  through,  and  therefore  at  last  they 
have  abandoned  and  cast  it  off.' 

But  in  answer  to  this,  give  me  leave  to  say, 
first,  that  the  chief  and  most  common  reason 
why  persons  who  have  professed  Christianity 
cast  it  off,  is  not  because  they  found  any  just 
reason  of  blame  either  in  its  principles  or  rules ; 
but  because  they  think  it  too  strict  for  them, 
and  it  curbs  their  vicious  appetites  more  than 
they  like. 

I  will  allow,  that  perhaps  there  may  be  some 
persons  who  have  abandoned  the  Christian  reli- 
gion from  a  wantonness  of  fancy,  from  a  li- 
centiousness of  thought,  from  a  pride  of  rea- 
soning, and  who  make  it  their  glory  to  have 
thrown  off  the  bonds  of  their  education,  and  to 
have  obtained  the  honor  of  free-thinkers,  or 
from  a  presuming  conceit  that  they  must  com- 
prehend every  thing  in  their  religion,  and  will 
believe  nothing  that  hath  mysteries  in  it.  Such 
vain  principles  as  these  may  have  influenced 
some  minds,  and  given  them  up  to  apostacy  : 
but  far  the  greatest  part  of  those  who  forsake 
the  gospel  have  been  tempted  to  it  by  the  pow- 
er of  their  lusts,  which  the  gospel  would  re- 
strain ;  and  some  of  these  persons  upon  their 
death-beds  have  confessed  it  too. 

This  is  also  sufficiently  visible  in  the  world, 
f  2 


66  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

that  when  men  have  long  professed  this  gospel 
and  forsaken  it,  they  seldom  grow  more  pious, 
more  sober,  more  honest  or  good  than  before  ; 
but,  on  the  contrary,  they  generally  have  in- 
dulged vicious  excesses  and  neglected  all  piety, 
and  this  is  rather  a  ground  of  glory  to  the 
gospel  than  a  just  reason  of  shame. 

If  these  persons  had  generally  grown  more 
holy  ;  if  they  had  feared  God  more  afterwards 
than  ever  they  did  before  ;  if  they  had  more 
aimed  at  the  glory  of  God,  and  loved  him  bet- 
ter, when  they  forsook  Christ  and  his  gospel  ; 
then  we  might  have  some  reason  to  suspect 
this  gospel  was  false,  and  a  mere  mistake  or 
imposture.     But    when    these    persons    grow 
more  unjust  than  before,  love,  their  neighbours 
less,  are  become  more  sensual,  more  selfish, 
disregard  God  more  than  they  did  before;  I 
repeat  it  again,  this  is  rather  a  ground  of  glory  to 
the  gospel  of  Christ,  than  of  shame.     Demas 
hath  forsaken  us,  saith  Paul,  because  he  loved 
this  present  world  ;  2  Tim.  iv.  10.     A  covetous 
Demas  is   no   good   argument  why  St.   Paul 
should   forsake  Christ,  or  be   ashamed  of  the 
gospel.     And  the  apostle  has  shewn  that  those 
who  have  made  shipwreck  of  their  faith,  have 
parted  with  a  good  conscience   too,  and  lost 
their  virtue;  1  Tim.  i.  19,  20. 


OF    THE   GOSPEL.  67 

But  there  is  another  answer  which  the  apos- 
tle John  gives  to  this  objection  in  his  first  epistle, 
chap.  ii.  ver.  19.  They  went  out  from  us,  but 
they  were  not  of  us  ;  for  if  they  had  been  of  us, 
they  would  no  doubt  have  continued  with  us: 
but  they  went  out  that  they  might  be  made  man- 
ifest that  they  were  not  all  of  us.  They  might 
make  a  profession  of  the  gospel,  and  perhaps 
give  a  real  assent  to  the  truths  and  doctrines 
of  it  by  the  convincing  influence  of  miracles  and 
human  reason,  or  perhaps  they  became  Chris- 
tians merely  by  the  force  of  education,  because 
they  were  taught  this  religion  from  their  child- 
hood, and  professed  it  without  thought;  but  they 
never  had  such  a  powerful  belief  of  this  gospel 
of  Christ,  as  to  change  their  hearts,  to  renew 
their  natures,  to  form  their  souls  after  the  image 
of  Christ  into  real  holiness  ;  and,  therefore,  like 
the  hearers  that  are  compared  to  stony  ground, 
the  seed  did  not  sink  deep  into  their  hearts, 
though  they  might  receive  the  word  at  first 
with  joy  ;  but  having  not  root  in  themselves, 
they  endure  but  for  a  while,  and  when  any  temp- 
tation arises,  they  are  offended,  and  depart  from 
the  faith  which  they  once  professed  ;  Math.  xiii. 
20,  21.  Thus  it  appears,  that  the  gospel  of 
Christ  is  never  the  worse  in  itself,  nor  does  it 
deserve  the  less  esteem  in  the  world,  notwith- 


68  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

standing  such  apostates  as  these,  no  more  than 
seed-corn,  should  be  pronounced  naught,  be- 
cause it  does  not  bring  forth  a  harvest  in  every  soil. 

I  have  now  finished  the  third  general  head  of 
discourse  which  I  proposed,  and  have  shown, 
whatsoever  occasions  of  shame  might  be  sup- 
posed to  arise,  either  from  the  doctrines  of  the 
gospel,  or  the  professors  of  it,  are  unjustly 
charged  as  blemishes  on  the  gospel ;  and  I  have 
given  particular  answers  to  both  sorts  of  cavils, 
and  defeated  the  accusations. 

One  word  of  advice  to  Christians  shall  con- 
clude the  present  discourse  ;  and  that  is  this. 

-  A  word  of  advice. 

Since  the  gospel  of  Christ  gives  no  just  occa- 
sions of  shame,  you,  that  are  professors  of  it, 
should  take  heed  that  you  do  nothing  to  cast 
shame  on  this  gospel.  Do  not  mingle  the 
Christian  faith  with  doubtful  notions  of  your  own. 
Do  not  defile  your  Christian  conversation  with 
sinful  practices.  Do  not  make  the  lesser  cir- 
cumstances and  appendages  of  your  religion,  the 
matter  of  loud  contest,  and  a  party  strife  ;  for 
all  these  things  expose  the  gospel  to  shame, 
and  may  justly  put  its  professors  to  the  blush,  in 
the  face  of  the  world,  when  they  are  guilty  of 
these  practices. 


OF    THE  GOSPEL.  69 

Let  me  insist  a  little  upon  each  of  these. 

1.  Do  not  mingle  the  Christian  faith  with 
doubtful  notions  and  fancies  of  your  own.  The 
articles  of  our  Christianity,  and  the  necessary 
truths  of  the  gospel,  are  divine  and  glorious  : 
take  heed  you  do  not  bring  in  your  peculiar 
sentiments  and  favorite  opinions,  which  have 
no  sufficient  evidence  from  the  word  of  God, 
and  join  them  in  the  same  rank  of  dignity  with 
the  articles  of  your  faith ;  and  much  less  should 
you  dare  to  impose  them  upon  the  consciences 
of  your  fellow-christians.  The  gospel  itself 
will  suffer  by  it,  and  sink  in  the  esteem  of  the 
world,  when  the  divine  doctrines  of  it  are  min- 
gled with  our  weaknesses,  and  debased  by  the 
addition  of  our  doubtful  sentiments. 

2.  Defile  not  your  Christian  conversation  with 
sinful  practices.  Indulge  not  a  conformity  to  this 
present  evil  world  in  any  of  the  corrupt  and  un- 
lawful customs  and*  courses  of  it.  Mingle  not 
your  practice  of  the  lovely  duties  which  this  gos- 
pel enjoins,  wkh  lying,  and  slandering,  and  rail- 
ing ;  do  not  interline  your  lives  with  religion  and 
sin,  with  devotion  and  shameful  lusts.  It  is  a 
gospel  that  forbids  all  iniquity  ;  it  requires  that 
you  mortify  sin,  and  cleanse  yourselves  from 
every  defilement  of  flesh  and  spirit,  and  that  you 
go  on  to  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord  ; 


70  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

2  Cor.  vii.  1.  The  very  design  and  end  of  it  in 
God's  eternal  counsels  and  contrivance,  is,  that 
you  might  be  holy  and  without  blame  before 
him  in  love,  Ephes.  i.  4.  If  you  pursue  this  ad- 
vice, then  shall  others,  who  behold  you,  confess 
that  there  is  something  divine  in  Christianity, 
when  you  thus  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  your 
Saviour.  Thus  you  give  the  gospel  its  due  hon- 
or, by  believing  all  it  reveals,  by  worshipping 
according  to  the  methods  of  itsappointment,and 
by  that  purity  of  conversation  which  it  enjoins. 
3.  Make  not  the  lesser  circumstances  and 
appendages  of  your  religion  the  matter  of  loud 
contest,  and  a  party-strife.  We  are  called  to 
contend  earnestly  for  the  great  and  necessary 
doctrines  of  faith,  which  were  once  delivered  to 
the  Saints  :  but  we  are  commanded  also  to  re- 
ceive those  that  are  weak  in  the  faith,  without 
involving  them  in  doubtful  disputations  about 
matters  of  less  moment.  Give  no  occasion  to 
the  infidel  to  blaspheme  the  gospel  by  your 
factions  and  quarrels,  and  the  rage  of  a  bitter 
and  unsanctified  zeal.  Oh,  that  the  time  were 
come,  when  the  wolf  and  the  lamb  shall  lie  down 
together,  and  there  shall  be  nothing  to  hurt  or 
destroy  in  all  the  Holy  Mountain  !  But  surely, 
it  is  very  hard  if  the  lambs  themselves,  who 
belong  to  the  flock  of  Christ,  cannot  live  with- 


OF    THE  GOSPEL.  71 

out  hurting  and  destroying  one  another  ;  that 
Christians  cannot  live  without  exposing  their 
divine  and  heavenly  religion  to  the  blasphemies 
of  sinful  men.  Happy  were  the  Christian 
world,  if  we  could  all  behave  ourselves  so  as 
never  to  give  occasion  to  the  adversary  to  re- 
proach the  professors  of  the  Christian  faith,  nor 
throw  shame  and  dishonour  upon  the  gospel  of 
Christ !  May  the  blessed  spirit  of  God  teach  us 
this  lesson  effectually,  and  let  it  be  copied  out 
in  our  lives  daily,  till  we  arrive  at  the  regions 
of  perfect  holiness  and  love  !  Amen. 


A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE  OF  THE  GOSPEL t 
OR, 

COURAGE  IN  PROFESSING  CHRISTIANITY. 


Rom.  i.  16. 

/  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  for 
it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every 
one  that  believelh. 

PART  THIRD. 

Though  the  passion  of  shame  has  something 
in  it  that  sinks  our  nature,  and  enfeebles 
our  spirits,  yet  it  is  a  very  becoming  passion, 
where  sin  is  the  object  of  it ;  and  indeed,  it  was 
wisely  ordained  by  our  Creator,  to  be  a  guardian 
to  those  small  remains  of  natural  virtue  that 
abide  in  us  since  the  fall.  We  find  the  first 
young  sinners  clothed  with  shame,  in  the 
garden  of  Eden,  at  the  presence  of  God.  But 
the  growing  corruption  of  our  natures,  the 
subtilty  of  Satan,  and  the  temptations  of  this 
world,  have  joined  together  to  take  this  piece-of 
artillery  out  of  the  hands  of  virtue,  and  make  use 
of  it  in  their  attacks  upon  religion  and  goodness. 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  73 

We  ought  to  be  ashamed  indeed  of  nothing  but 
our  sin,  our  folly,  and  our  wretchedness  ;  but  we 
have  been  too  ready  to  be  ashamed,  even  of  the 
grace  of  God,  and  the  methods  of  our  recovery 
from  folly,  wretchedness  and  sin.  The  gospel 
itself — the  glorious  gospel- — has  been  made  a 
matter  of  reproach  among  men,  and  its  profes- 
sors have  been  sometimes  tempted  to  be 
ashamed  of  it. 

The  blessed  apostle,  in  my  text,  had  gained  a 
victory  over  this  temptation,  for  he  was  not 
ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Whatsoever 
there  might  be  contained  in  the  doctrines  of  this 
gospel,  or  whatsoever  might  be  found  among 
the  professors  of  it,  from  which  infidels  or  un- 
believers might  take  occasion  to  throw  shame 
and  scandal  upon  it  ;  yet  I  have  shown  in  the 
(wo  foregoing  discourses,  that  all  this  is  unjustly 
charged  on  the  gospel,  and  have  given  particu- 
lar answers  to  both  sorts  of  cavils. 

I  go  on  now  to  the  last  proposal,  which  is  to 
explain  the  force  of  the  apostle's  argument 
against  shame  in  professing  and  preaching  this 
gospel,  and  to  nuke  it  appear,  that  the  words 
of  my  text  contain  a  general  and  most  exten- 
sive guard,  or  defence,  against  all  possible  oc- 
casions of  shame,  in  the  profession  of  Christiani- 
ty ;  and  that  is,  that  the  gospel  of  Christ  is  the 


74  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

power  of  God  for  the  salvation  of  all  that  be- 
lieve. 

Now  this  is  an  argument  which  you,  who  be- 
lieve in  Christ,  may  all  assume  to  yourselves 
as  well  as  the  apostle.  You  cannot  preach  this 
gospel  so  well  as  he,  nor  explain  the  reasons  of 
your  faith  to  others,  and  establish  it  upon  so 
solid  and  unshaken  foundations  of  argument,  as 
Paul  could  do;  but  every  Christian  that  has 
embraced  the  faith,  and  felt  the  power  of  this 
gospel  for  his  own  salvation,  may  give  this 
reason  for  his  profession  of  it,  and  may  support 
his  courage  in  opposition  to  all  the  sharpest 
temptations  of  mockery  and  reproach. 

When  the  apostle  says,  'it  is  the  power  of  God,' 
we  must  suppose  him  to  understand,  it  is  a  most 
powerful  means,  or  effectual  instrument  that 
God  uses,  to  save  souls  ;  and  it  is  attended  with 
divine  power  for  that  end. 

It  is  more  powerful  than  the  light  of  nature  ; 
for  we  have  no  just  reason  to  believe,  that  the 
mere  light  of  nature,  without  some  helps  of 
divine  revelation,  or  some  unwritten  traditions 
of  it,  ever  saved  any  souls  at  all ;  and  if  there 
have  been  any  of  the  sinners  of  the  heathen 
nations  made  partakers  of  grace,  I  think  it  is 
otherwise  to  be  accounted  for,  than  merely  by 
the  poor  remains  of  the  light  of  nature. 


OF    THE  GOSPEL.  75 

It  is  more  powerful  than  any  religion  that 
men  or  angels  could  invent,  and  more  powerful 
too,  than  any  religion  that  God  himself  ever  in- 
vented, or  revealed,  and  proposed  to  men  before 
the  gospel  of  Christ.  His  revelations  to  the 
Partriarchs  were  but  few  ;  they  were  made  here 
and  there  to  a  house  or  two,  or  to  a  family ; 
they  were  particular  favors  that  he  bestowed 
upon  persons  called  out  of  idolatry;  nor  had 
they  a  very  long,  nor  spreading,  nor  lasting 
influence,  except  in  the  family  of  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  where  they  were  frequently 
renewed. 

It  is  more  powerful  than  all  the  revelations 
of  grace,  which  God  made  by  Moses  to  the 
children  of  Israel,  and  intermingled  with  the 
Jewish  law  ;  for  these  discoveries  reached,  but 
to  one  single  nation,  and  wrought  but  feebly 
toward  the  conversion  of  sinful  souls  to  God 
and  holiness,  in  comparison  of  what  the  gospel 
of  Christ  has  done. 

Besides,  let  it  be  considered  that  all  the  power 
which  all  the  former  discoveries  of  grace  to  the 
Partriarchs,  or  to  the  Jews,  had  to  save  souls, 
was  derived  from  the  gospel  of  Christ,  which  is 
contained  in  them,  in  lower  measures,  and  in  a 
more  obscure  manner.  Therefore,  since  the 
gospel  of  Christ  now  stands  forth  in  open  light, 


76 


A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 


and  in  full  glory,  it  is  most  eminently  powerful 
to  convert  sinners,  to  bring  this  apostate  world 
back  again  to  God,  and  to  save  millions  of  souls. 

I.  It  is  the  most  powerful  means  of  salvation 
considered  in  itself,  and  in  its  own  nature  and 
influence. 

II.  It  is  the  most  powerful  means,  as  it  is  ac- 
compained  with  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  first  of  these  may  be  called  a  moral  or 
persuasive  influence  ;  the  last  is  supernatural 
and  sovereign.  Let  us  meditate  on  each  of 
these  distinctly. 

I.  It  is  the  most  powerful  means,  if  we  consi- 
der the  gospel  in  itself,  and  its  own  nature.  Not 
that  the  mere  word  of  the  gospel,  reaching  the 
ears  of  men,  is  sufficient  to  change  the  heart, 
and  to  save  the  soul,  without  divine  influences  : 
for  it  is  said  to  be  the  power  of  God  to  salvation  ; 
i.  e.  it  is  that  doctrine  whereby  God  exerts  his 
Divine  Power  to  save  sinful  man.  But  still  it 
must  be  granted,  that  the  doctrine  itself,  in  its 
own  nature,  has  a  very  great  and  evident  ten- 
dency to  this  glorious  end,  as  it  is  the  noblest, 
the  richest,  and  the  brightest  discovery  of  grace 
that  ever  was  made  to  man. 

If  we  consider  it  in  its  own  nature,  it  has  the 
greatest  moral  power,  or  persuasive  influence, 
toward  the  salvation  of  perishing  sinners.    Thi& 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  77 

is  easily  proved  by  explaining  what  this  salva- 
tion means. 

Salvation  includes  in  it  a  freedom  from  the 
guilt  and  punishment  of  sin,  together  with  a 
right  and  title  to  heaven  ;  it  implies  also  a  free- 
dom from  the  power  of  sin,  and  thereby  a  pre- 
paration for  heaven,  and  a  final  possession  of  it. 
Under  each  of  these  considerations  it  will  appear 
with  great  evidence,  that  the  gospel  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  power  of  God  to  salvation. 

1st,  It  is  the  most  powerful  means  to  set  sin- 
ners free  from  the  guilt  and  punishment  of  sin, 
and  to  relieve  a  distressed  conscience  under  the 
sense  of  divine  anger:  it  gives  the  most  effec- 
tual security  to  a  believer  against  the  terrors  of 
hell  and  eternal  death  ;  for  it  not  only  declares 
that  there  is  forgiveness  with  God,  but  it  shows 
us  the  foundation  upon  which  this  forgiveness 
stands ;  namely,  the  satisfaction  made  to  the 
offended  justice  of  God  by  the  death  and  sacri- 
fice of  Jesus  Christ,  his  Son.  Suppose  it  were 
possible  for  a  philosopher  or  wise  man,  to  prove 
that  God  would  forgive  the  sins  of  the  penitent, 
yet  there  is  nothing  but  the  gospel  that  can  set 
the  conscience  at  such  joyful  ease  from  the 
terror  of  guilt,  and  release  the  soul  from  the 
chains  wherewith  it  was  held  ;  cFor  now,'  says- 

the  believer,  '  I  not  only  hear  it  proved  by  di- 
g  2 


78  A  RATCONAL  DEFENCE 

viae  testimony,  that  there  is  pardon  of  sin  to  be 
obtained  from  God,  but  I  see  how  God  may  do 
it  with  honor.  I  behold  the  atonement  that  is 
made  by  Christ  Jesus,  his  own  Son  :  the  atone- 
ment is  equal  to  the  offence.  He  can  justify 
me,  though  I  am  a  sinner,  upon  the  account  of 
this  perfect  righteousness,  and  he  can  do  it  with 
glory  to  all  his  terrible  perfections ;  therefore,  I 
may  venture  my  assent  to  this  doctrine,  and  I 
may  rest  my  soul  upon  it.' 

2dly,  The  gospel  is  a  powerful  means,  also, 
to  raise  undeserving  sinners  to  a  hope  of  hea- 
ven and  eternal  life.  It  shows  us  what  heaven 
is,  by  the  disco  vories  of  one  that  has  been 
there,  even  the  Son  of  God  himself.  Life  and 
immortality  are  brought  to  light  by  this  gospeL, 
which  lay  hid  under  much  darkness  before  ; 
%  Tim.  i.  10.  It  teaches  us  also  how  the  happi- 
ness of  heaven  is  procured  for  us,  even  by  the 
obedience  and  blood  of  the  Son  of  God;  and 
therefore,  some  think,  heaven  is  called  the  pur* 
chased  possession  in  Ephes.  i.  14.  It  assures 
us,  that  this  blessed  state  of  the  enjoyment  of 
God,,  in  unchangeable  peace,  and  in  the  com^ 
pany  of  blessed  spirits,  waits  for  every  believer* 
when  he  is  d  slodged  from  this  flesh,  and  when 
the  habitation  of  the  body  is  no  longer  fit  to  re- 
tain the  spirit :  and  it  reveals  also  the  final  hea- 


OP  THE  GOSPEL. 


79 


veil  of  the  saints,  when  the  body  shall  be  raised 
into  immortality.  'Without  this  gospel,'  says 
the  soul,  ■  I  could  have  no  just  ground  to  hope 
for  heaven ;  for  all  my  best  righteousnesses 
are  imperfect — my  fairest  acts  of  holiness  have 
many  defects  in  them ;  but  I  behold  the  per- 
fect righteousness  of  my  Saviour  that  has  pro- 
cured it.  A  life  of  holiness  without  defect,  and 
a  most  submissive  obedienee  to  a  painful  and 
shameful  death,  has  been  the  price  and  pur- 
chase of  it.' 

3dly,  This  gospel  is  a  most  powerful  means 
to  subdue  sin  in  the  soul,  to  mortify  corrupt 
nature,  to  inspire  us  with  virtue,  to  wean  our 
hearts  from  vice,  sensuality  and  trifles,  and 
from  all  the  insufficient  pretences  to  blessed- 
ness that  the  world  can  flatter  us  with. 

The  gospel  of  Christ,  both  in  his  own  per- 
sonal ministry  of  it,  and  in  the  writings  of 
his  apostles,  sets  before  us  the  most  divine 
scheme  of  morality,  piety  and  virtue,  that  ever 
the  world  knew.  The  sacred  dictates  of 
probity  and  goodness  toward  men,  as  well  as 
the  venerable  rules  of  piety  toward  God,  which 
are  scattered  up  and  down  in  an  impeded 
and  obscure  manner  among  the  philosophers, 
and  shine  like  a  star  here  and  there  in  the 
midnight  darkness   of  heathenism — these  are 


80  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

all  collected  and  refined  in  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
and  fill  the  Christian  world  with  a  pure  and 
universal  light,  like  the  sun  unclouded  in  a 
meridian  sky.  We  know  our  duty  infinitely 
better  from  the  instructions  of  Christ  and  St 
Paul,  than  all  the  Plato's  and  the  Plutarch's,  all 
the  Zeno's  and  the  Antonines  of  Greece  or 
Rome,  could  ever  teach  us. 

The  most  divine-  rules  of  the  gospel  are 
attended  also  with  the  noblest  motives  to  love 
virtue,  and  to  hate  all  vice  ;  for  never  was  the 
evil  of  sin  so  displayed  to  the  eyes  and  senses  of 
man,  as  by  the  cross  and  gospel  of  our  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ:  never  did  sin  appear  so  hateful,  so 
abominable,  so  justly  the  object  of  divine  and 
human  harted,  as  when  it  appeared  pressing 
the  soul  of  the  Holy  One  of  God  into  agonies 
and  sharp  anguish.  A  believer  who  has  seen 
the  evil  of  sin,  as  revealed  in  this  gospel,  will 
hate  it,  and  will  be  led  powerfully  to  a  conquest 
over  it. 

P>esides,  the  terrors  of  hell  are  revaled  to  us 
among  the  doctrines  of  Christian ty,  as  the  just 
punishment  of  sin,  and  that  in  such  a  manner 
a9  no  other  religion  pretends  to :  for,  as  the 
doors  of  heaven  are  opened  by  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  both  by  his  ministry  on  earth,  and  by 
his  ascent  into  heaven,  and  by  the  farther  dis- 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  81 

coveries  which  his  apostles  have  made  of  the 
future  unseen  happy  world,  so  the  doors  of  hell 
are  opened  too.  Our  Lord  Jesus  himself 
preached  hell  and  terror  to  sinners  with  a  sa- 
cred vehemence,  and  set  everlasting  fire  in  a 
clearer  and  more  dreadful  light  than  ever  had 
been  done  by  all  the  philosophers  in  the  world. 
The  soul  of  every  saint  has  been  in  some  mea- 
sure a  witness  of  this  truth,  when  it  lay  under 
the  work  of  divine  conviction. 

And  not  only  the  horrid  nature  and  evil  of  sin, 
and  the  dreanful  consequences  of  it,  are  power- 
ful motives  to  make  us  stand  afar  off,  and  fear 
it;  but  'the  sweet  and  constraining  influence 
of  the  love  of  Christ  does  most  effectually  in- 
cline me,'  saith  the  believer,  'to  hate  every  sin, 
and  to  follow  after  universal  holiness:  shall  I 
build  up  again  the  things  which  my  Saviour  died 
to  destroy]  This  would  be  to  make  him  suffer 
agonies  in  vain,  and  run  counter  to  all  the  de- 
signs of  his  Weeding  love,  and  the  voluntary 
sacrifice  of  his  soul. 

'I  have  also,  the  glorious  and  perfect  example 
of  my  blessed  Lord.  Never  did  virtue  and  re- 
ligion shine  so  bright,  and  look  so  amiable  as 
in  his  life,  and  he  has  set  it  before  me  as  my 
pattern  :  I  feel  the  attractive  and  divine  power 


82  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

of  it.     Where  my  Lord  leads,  I  must  follow  ;  for 
I  would  fain  be  like  him. 

'  He  draws  me  by  his  example,  and  he  draws 
me  too  by  his  heavenly  promises.  He  spreads 
the  glories  and  the  joys  of  heaven  before  me, 
to  allure  my  hope — I  see  those  sacred  glories — I 
long  after  the  possession  of  these  unfading  joys, 
and  I  must  and  will  keep  the  path  that  leads  to 
paradise,  that  where  my  Lord  is,  I  may  be  also. 

'The  rules  and  precepts  of  holiness,  which 
my  Lord  has  taught  me,  are  more  pure,  more 
clean,  more  perfect,  more  divine  and  godlike, 
than  ever  any  other  scheme  of  rules  and  duties 
was  ;  arid  the  joyful  and  dreadful  motives  given 
me  to  press  after  this  holiness,  are  infinitely  be- 
yond all  the  motives  that  any  doctrine  or  religion 
has  proposed.  Blessed  be  God  that  I  ever 
learnt  these  holy  rules,  that  I  ever  felt  the 
power  of  these  divine  motives,  and  am  become 
a  lover  of  holiness.' 

4thly,  Thus  the  gospel  prepares  the  saint 
for  heaven,  and  fits  every  power  of  his  soul  for 
the  business  and  belssedness  of  those  happy 
regions.  'Once,'  says  he, 'I  had  no  delight 
in  spiritual  things  ;  I  had  no  relish  of  spiritual 
pleasures ;  but  now  I  taste  them  with  delight, 
and  I  rejoice  in  the  hopes  of  a  sweeter  and 
more  complete  taste  of  them  on  high.     Once 


•   OF  THE  GOSPEL.  S3 

I  had  no  love  to  God — it  is  true,  I  feared  him 
as  some  unknown  and  extraordinary  terror — 
but  I  had  no  delight  in  him,  no  desire  after  him. 
Now  he  is  the  object  of  my  warmest  love, 
and  of  my  sweetest  meditations.  Heaven 
itself,  as  it  is  described  in  the  word  of  God,  was 
not  pleasant  to  me.  What!  The  everlasting 
continuance  of  a  Sabbath  ]  Perpetual  employ- 
ments of  worships  and  service  to  be  done  for 
God  everlastingly  ?  These  are  things  that  were 
not  agreeable  to  carnal  nature  ,  but  bv  the  in- 
fluence  of  this  gospel  of  Christ,  my  heart  is 
new  moulded,  and  I  delight  in  the  forethoughts 
of  such  a  heaven  as  the  gospel  describes.' 
Such  instances  as  these  of  the  sweet  efficacy 
of  the  gospel  upon  the  soul  of  man,  turning  it 
into  a  divine  temper,  and  fitting  it  forthe  en- 
joyment of  God,  are  so  many  proofs  of  the 
power  of  this  gospel  unto  salvation,  and  so 
many  grounds  and  reasons  why  the  believer 
cannot  be  ashamed  of  it. 

But  I  must  add  in  the  5th  place,  it  is  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ  that  brings  believers  to  the  final 
possession  of  heaven.  Then,  and  not  till  then, 
is  the  salvation  perfect.  It  is  the  gospel  that 
has  given  us  an  unchangeable  promise  of 
heaven,  when  our  state  of  trial  is  ended  here 
on   earth,   and   Chiist  is     bound   to    fulfil    it. 


84  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

The  gospel  assures  us,  that  when  we  are 
absent  from  the  body,  we  shall  be  present 
with  the  Lord.  When  we  see  the  heavens 
open  at  the  death  of  Stephen  the  first  martyr, 
and  Jesus  Christ  standing  there  to  receive 
his  departing  spirit,  we  believe  that  the  same 
Jesus  will  fulfil  the  same  kind  office  to  us  also, 
and  receive  our  spirits,  if  we  have  been  found 
faithful  to  the  death. 

The  same  gospel  also  gives  us  a  more  distant 
hope  and  glorious  assurance  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  our  bodies  from  the  prison  of  the  grave. 
When  we  behold  the  body  of  our  Blessed 
Saviour  rising  from  the  tomb,  and  ascending 
to  glory,  and  when  we  are  told  that  his  resurrec- 
tion is  a  pledge  and  pattern  of  ours  ;  then  with 
a  joyful'  expectation  we  wait  for  the  same 
blessedness.  The  gospel  lays  an  obligation 
upon  Christ  himsejf  to  raise  his  saints  from  the 
dead  ;  for  he  himself  tells  us,  that  it  is  the  will 
of  his  Father,  that  every  one  which  seeth  the 
Son,  and  believeth  on  him,  should  have  ever- 
lasting life,  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last 
day  ;  John  vi.  40. 

Hence  it  comes  to  pass,  that  the  believer 
triumphs  over  death  under  the  influence  of 
these  hopes.  «  Now,'  saith  the  saint,  *  1  can 
venture  to  die ;  for  my  spirit  shall  be  received 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  85 

to  dwell  with  my  Saviour  among  the  spirits  of 
the  just  that  are  made  perfect.  These  feeble 
and  withering  limbs  of  mine,  I  can  cheerfully 
commit  them  to  dust  and  the  grave ;  for  the 
great  trumpet  must  sound,  the  dead  must  arise, 
my  Redeemer  will  call  my  flesh  from  its  dark 
prison  ;  I  shall  arise  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the 
air,  and  dwell  with  him  for  ever  in  unknown 
worlds  of  blessedness.' 

Thus  I  have  shewn  you  the  first  thing  I 
proposed,  Viz.  how  the  gospel,  in  its  own  na- 
ture, has  a  very  proper  and  powerful  tendency 
in  a  moral  or  persuasive  way  towards  the  sal- 
vation of  the  soul,  as  it  insures  pardoning  grace 
and  final  blessedness  to  believers. 

II.  I  come  now  to  show  how  the  gospel 
is  made  powerful  to  the*  salvation  of  sinners 
by  the  accompanying  influence  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  and  this  is  supernatural  and  sovereign. 
If  I  should  run  over  all  the  particulars  I  have 
just  before  mentioned,  I  might  make  it  appear 
in  each  of  them,  how  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  the 
word  of  his  gospel,  works  this  salvation. 

It  is  this  Blessed  Spirit  that  awakens  the 
stupid  and  thoughtless  sinner  to  a  sense  of  his 
guilt  and  danger.  It  is  He  that  shows  him  the 
evil  of  sin,  and  makes  him  groan  after  deliver- 
ance, and  cry  out,  what  shall  I  do  to  be  slaved  ? 


86  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

And  it  is  the  Spirit  that  reveals  and  discovers 
Christ  Jesus  to  him  as  the  only  and  all-sufficient 
Saviour :  it  is  He  who  shows  the  convinced 
sinner  that  there  is  righteousness  and  grace 
to  be  found  in  Christ  to  answer  all  his  present 
complaints  and  necessities.  The  word  of  the 
gospel  says  these  things  indeed,  but  it  is  like 
a  dead  letter,  until  the  living  Spirit  speaks 
them  over  again,  and,  as  it  were,  constrains  us 
to  hear  the  voice  of  encouragement  and  hope. 
It  is  He  that  represents  the  death  and  suffer- 
ings of  the  Son  of  God,  as  an  effectual  atone- 
ment for  sin,  and  makes  the  soul  believe  it,  and 
teaches  us  how  to  lay  hold  on  this  hope,  to 
fly  to  this  refuge,  to  receive  this  atonement :  it  is 
the  Spirit  of  God  that  softens  the  hardest  heart, 
and  melts  it  into  godly  sorrow :  it  is  He  who 
makes  us  willing  to  accept  of  Jesus  as  a  Prince 
and  a  Saviour,  to  renew  our  sinful  natures, 
to  refine  our  hearts,  and  thereby  to  reform 
our  lives  ;  it  is  he  that  takes  the  blood  of  Christ, 
and  applies  it  to  a  distressed  conscience  under 
the  guilt  of  sin,  and  thus  gives  the  disquieted 
soul  rest  and  peace :  He  takes  of  the  things  of 
Christ,  and  shows  them  unto  us  in  all  their 
glory  and  sufficiency,  for  our  salvation,  and 
thereby  justly  obtains  the  name  of  the  para- 
clete, that  is,  an  advocate  for  Christ,  and  a 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  87 

comforter  to  us;  John  xiv.  26,  and  xv.  26,  and 
xvi.  14,  15.  He  composes  the  ruffles  of  the 
disturbed  mind,  and  speaks  all  the  waves  of 
the  soul  into  a  calm:  he  makes  all  within  us 
peaceful  and  easy,  under  the  apprehension  of 
divine  forgiveness  through  the  merit  of  Christ. 

It  is  only  the  Spirit  of  God  that  can  make 
the  discoveries  of  heaven  in  the  gospel  effec- 
tual, to  awaken  our  hope  and  to  raise  our  joy : 
he  shows  us  how  it  is  purchased  by  the  blood 
of  Christ,  and  that  it  is  made  sure  to  all  those 
that  believe:  he  stamps  his  own  Holy  Image 
upon  us,  and  seals  us  up  for  the  inheritance 
of  heaven;  Ephes.  i.  13.  When  ye  heard  the 
word  of  thruth — the  gospel  of  your  salvation — 
and  believed  it,  ye  were  then  sealed  with  the 
Holv  Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest 
of  our  inheritance.  The  spirit  is  sent  into 
our  hearts  as  a  spirit  of  adoption,  whereby 
we  call  God  Father ;  Gal.  iv.  6.  And  he 
changes  us  from  children  of  wrath  into  the 
sons  and  daughters  of  the  living  God;  and 
he  himself  dwelling  in  us  is  a  pledge  and 
earnest  of  that  inheritance,  which  is  reserved 
for  us  among  the  saints  in  light. 

It  is  the  same  Blessed  Spirit  that  makes  the 
gospel  of  Christ  powerful,  to  mortify  sin  in  us  ; 
for   though   the   words  of    the   gospel  forbid 


88  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

all  iniquity,  and  require  us  to  renounce  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh  and  the  vanities  of  the  world* 
if  we  belong  to  Christ:  yet  it  is  by  the  Spirit  of 
God  alone  that  we  are  enabled  to  mortify  the 
deeds  of  the  body,  that  we  may  obtain  eternal 
life:  it  is  he  that  makes  the  commands  of 
Christ  come  with  divine  power  and  authority 
upon  the  soul,  and  gives  the  motives  of  the 
gospel  power  to  persuade  us :  it  is  he  that 
renews  our  affections,  makes  us  hate  sin,  and 
love  God  superemely,  and  causes  us  to  delight 
in  the  spiritual  pleasures  of  a  future,  unseen 
world,  which  before,  we  treated  with  contempt, 
or  disregard.  It  is  by  the  sanctification  of  the 
Spirit,  and  the  belief  of  the  truth,  that  we  are 
prepared  for  the  heavenly  glory  whereunto  we 
are  Called  by  the  gospel ;  2  Thess.  ii.  13.  And 
since  the  Spirit  of  God  is  promised  to  dwell 
in  us  for  ever,  John  xiv.  16,  17,  we  have  good 
reason  to  believe  he  will  be  our  eternal  sanctl- 
fier  in  heaven,  and  our  eternal  comforter. 

There  is  such  a  thing  as  the  influence 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  attending  the  gospel  of 
Christ.  The  apostle  argues  thus  with  the  Ga^ 
latian  Christans,  received  ye  the  spirit  by  the 
works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of  faith? 
Gal.  iii.  2.  And  it  is  the  great  promise  of  the  gos-. 
pel,  or  the  new  cov  enant,  that  God  would  send 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  89 

his  Spirit  to  make  it  powerful  for  the  blessed 
ends  for  which  he  has  designed  it;  Ezech. 
xxxvi.  25,  26,  27.  Joel  ii.  28.  Zach.  xli.  10. 
£sa.  xliv.  3. 

In  the  primitive  days  of  Christianity,  and 
the  age  of  miracles,  the  Holy  Spirit  attended 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel  with  his  extraordi- 
nary -gifts  of  tongues,  of  healing,  of  prohecy, 
as  well  as  with  the  graces  of  conviction  and 
sanstiricati  on  and  comfort:  and  the  suddeness 
and  the  glory  of  the  change  that  was  wrought 
on  sinners,  carried  with  it  an  illustrious  and 
uncontested  proof  of  the  presence  and  power 
of  God  arid  his  Spirit.  Nor  have  some  fainter 
lblances  of  such  glorious  grace  been 
ether  want!  ig  i:i  later  ages.  There  have 
been  some  most  remarkable  instances  of  great 
sinners  converted  at  once  by  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  and  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit. 

Hut  in  his  more  usual  and  ordinary  commu- 
nications of  grace,  He  works  so  gentry  upon 
our  natures,  and  in  so  sweet  and  connatural 
a  way,  as  not  to  distinguish  his  agency  in  a 
sensible  manner  from  the  motions  of  our  own 
souls;  for  he  never  disturbs  our  rational  pow- 
ers, nor  puts  any  violence  upon  the  natural 
faculties;    yet  when    we  are    changed,    when 

we  are  renewed,   when  sin  is  mortified,    the 
h  2 


90  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

scripture  tells  us,  that  it  is  the  Spirit  of  God 
that  has  done  it :  when  our  souls  are  prepared 
for  heaven,  and  our  corrupted  natures  sancti- 
fied and  suited  to  the  things  that  are  prepared 
in  heaven  for  us,  we  are  assured  by  the  word 
of  God  that  the  Holy  Spirit  has  been  the  great 
operator,  and  has  wrought  this  change  in  us. 

Thus  I  have  made  it  appear  at  large,  how 
the  gospel  of  Christ  is  the  power  of  God,  to 
salvation.  I  apply  myself  immediately  to  raise 
a  few  inferences  from  the  subject  I  have  been 
treating  of. 

INFERENCES. 

I.  Inf.  How  unreasonable  are  all  the  re- 
proaches that  are  cast  upon  this  gospel !  A 
gospel  that  saves  mankind  from  misery,  and 
from  sin,  and  eternal  death  !  A  gospel  that 
teaches  men  how  to  appear  before  a  holy  and 
terrible  God  with  comfort,  though  their  sins 
are  many,  and  their  righteousness  imperfect! 
A  gospel  that  gives  the  hope  of  pardon  to  cri- 
minals and  rebels,  and  the  hope  of  heaven  ta 
undeserving  creatures  !  And  all  this  upon  such 
solid  grounds  and  foundations,  as  justifies  its 
highest  promises  and  proposals  to  the  reason  of 
men  !  It  is  a  gospel  that  changes  our  sinful  na- 
tures into  holiness,  and  reforms  our  hearts  as 


OF    THE  GOSPEL.  91 

well  as  lives  !  A  gospel,  that  aided  by  divine 
power,  creates  souls  anew,  and  raises  dead  sin- 
ners to  life  !  It  is  a  gospel  that  turns  wolves 
into  lambs,  and  makes  ravenous  vultures  meek 
as  doves  !  A  gospel  that  so  disturbs  the  king- 
dom of  Satan,  as  to  take  thousands  of  slaves 
and  captives  out  of  his  dominions,  to  transfer 
them  into  the  glorious  kingdom  of  Christ,  and 
make  them  cheerful  and  willing  subjects  !  A 
gospel  that  fulfils  gloriously  the  first  promise, 
and  makes  it  appear,  that  the  seed  of  the 
woman  hath  broke  the  serpent's  head,  and  de- 
stroyed the  works  of  the  devil.  You  have  never 
seen,  you  have  never  known,  you  have  never 
learned  this  gospel  aright,  if  you  have  not  felt 
it  to  be  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation.  Those 
that  can  speak  evil  of  this  gospel,  it  may  be 
universally  said  concerning  them,  they  speak 
evil  of  the  things  they  know  not;  for  if  they 
had  known  this  gospel  as  they  ought  to  know 
it,  they  would  have  seen  it  all  over  glorious  and 
divine  ;  they  would  have  felt  it  to  be  attended 
with  divine  power  to  their  salvation,  and  then 
they  would  never  speak  evil  of  it. 

The  heathen  world  may  be  ashamed  of  their 
doctrines  and  their  religion  ;  the  heathen  wor- 
shipperers  may  be  ashamed  of  their  sacrifices, 
their  superstitions,  and  their  forms  of  devotion  ; 


92  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

for  they  have  no  power  to  save  their  souls  :    and 
many  of  them  were  indeed  brutish  and  shameful. 
Mahomet,  the  founder  of  the  Turkish  religion, 
may  be  ashamed  of  his  Alcoran,  a  volume  of 
fables  and  incredible  lies  ;  all  his  followers  may 
be  ashamed  of  their  prophet,  and  of  the  sensual 
paradise    that  he   promises  them.     The  Jews 
under  the  eye  of  Christ,  and  the  sun-beams  of 
the  gospel,  may  be  ashamed  of  the  vain  tradi- 
tions of  their  Rabbins,  which  were  never  divine; 
and  even  of  the  old  rites  and  ceremonies  which 
Moses  gave  them  ;  for  all  these  are  now  but 
weak  and  beggarly  elements;  the  Spirit  of  God 
calls  them  so;  Gal,  iv.  9.    They  have  now  no 
power  to  save  souls,  since  God  hath  abolished 
them  ;  nor  indeed  had  they  ever  any  power  but 
what  they  borrowed  from  this  gospel  of  Christ, 
which  lay  concealed  in  them  :    but  let  none  of 
us  that  believe  and  profess  the  gospel  of  Christ 
be  ever  ashamed  of  any  of  the  doctrines,  or 
precepts,  or  promises  of  it ;    for  they  are  all 
holy,  they  are  all  heavenly;  all  of  them  have 
divine  power  accompanying  them  to  lead  souls 
to  salvation. 

II.  Inf.  Learn  hence  the  true  method  of  ob- 
taining Christian  courage  ;  courage  to  profess 
the  gospel  of  Christ  against  all  opposition  ;  it  is 
by  getting  it  wrought  into  your  heart:  a  d  lives 


OF    THE  GOSPEL.  93 

by  Christian  experience,  and  not  by  learning  a 
mere  form  of  words  in  a  road  of  education  and 
catechism.  You  must  feel  it  as  the  power  of 
God  to  your  salvation,  or  you  will  never  suffer 
much  for  it.  Let  it  be  an  ingrafted  word  able 
to  save  vour  souls,  Jam.  i.  21.  and  then  it  will 
harden  your  faees  against  all  blaspheming  ad- 
versaries, and  the  terrors  of  a  persecuting  world; 
then  you  will  be  able  to  render  a  most  powerful 
reason  why  you  are  bold  to  profess  this  gospel, 
and  to  answer  every  one  that  asks  you  a  reason 
of  the  hope  that  is  in  you  :  you  will  be  able  to 
oppose  those  that  set  themselves  against  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  when  you  feel  this  divine  spring 
of  courage  within  you. 

I  have  encouraged  you  before,  to  acquaint 
yourselves  with  reasons  and  arguments  that 
may  defend  your  religion,  and  support  your 
faith  :  but  hours  of  temptation  may  come,  when 
all  the  knowledge  and  learn  ed  furniture  of  your 
head,  all  the  arguments  that  are  treasured  up 
in  your  memory,  and  all  the  reasonings  that 
your  invention  can  supply  you  with,  will  hardly 
be  able  to  keep  your  faith  and  hope  firm  and 
steadfast ;  for  Satan  goes  before  you  in  skill  and 
rational  argument ;  and  though  your  arguments 
are  strong  and  solid,  yet  he  may  baffle  you  by 
his  hellish  sophistry,  and  thus  cheat  you  of  your 


94  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

faith,  and  your  hope,  and  your  heaven,  if  you 
have  not  got  this  gospel  wrought  into  your 
hearts  with  power,  if  you  have  not  felt  it  to  be 
the  power  of  God  unto  salvation. 

Hence  it  comes  to  pass,  that  in  times  of  great 
temptation  and  persecution,  there  are  many  who 
fall  away,  as  the  leaves  of  a  tree  in  the  blast  of 
autumn,  when  but  here  and  there  one  stands 
and  endures  the  shock  :  it  is  because  there  are 
so  few  of  the  professors  of  the  gospel  who  have 
felt  it  to  be  the  power  of  God  to  the  conversion  of 
their  souls,  and  turning  their  hearts  to  God  and 
heaven. 

And  hence  it  comes  to  pass  also,  that  several 
unlearned  Christians  in  all  ages,  that  could  not 
argue  much  for  the  faith  in  a  rational  way,  yet 
could  dare  to  die  for  it,  because  they  had  this 
argument  wrought  in  their  own  souls  ;  they  had 
felt  a  divine  power  going  along  with  it  to  change 
their  natures,  to  make  them  new  creatures,  to 
give  them  the  hope  of  heaven,  and  a  prepara- 
tion for  it. 

III.  Inf.  From  what  you  have  heard  of  this 
subject,  learn  the  wide  extent  of  this  argument 
for  the  defence  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  the 
invaluable  worth  of  it  to  every  Christian,  viz  : 
that  the  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  to  your  sal- 
vation. 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  95 

It  is  an  argument  of  wide  extent ;  for  it  be- 
longs to  every  Christian,  to  the  wise  and  to  the 
unwise,  to  the  weak  and  the  strong ;  there  is  no 
sincere  Christian,  no  true  believer  in  Christ,  but 
hath  got  the  foundation  of  this  argument  wrought 
within  him  :  he  knows  this  gospel  is  divine,  and 
he  should  not  be  ashamed  to  believe  and  pro- 
fess it ;  for  he  hath  felt  it  support  his  soul  under 
a  sense  of  guilt,  and  give  him  solid  hope  of  par- 
doning grace  :  He  hath  found  it  change  his  sin- 
ful nature,  soften  his  heart  into  repentance,  and 
turn  him  from  a  sinner  into  a  saint ;  it  hah  laid 
the  foundation  of  eternal  life  within  him. 

And  as  it  is  an  argument  that  belongs  to 
every  true  Christian,  so  it  answers  every  ob- 
jection that  an  infidel  can  bring  against  the 
gospel,  either  from  the  doctrines,  or  from  the 
professors  of  it :  and  methinks,  I  would  fain  have 
you  all  furnished  with  this  glorious  argument, 
and  learn  to  manage  it  for  the  defence  of  your 
faith. 

Do  they  tell  you  that  the  doctrines  of  the  gos- 
pel contain  mysteries  in  them,  and  things  that 
are  unsearchable  1  Do  they  endeavor  to  put  you 
out  of  countenance  by  ridiculing  the  truths  of 
Christianity,  as  being  contrary  to  the  common 
opinions  and  reasonings  of  men  ?  Do.  ty  re- 
proach them  as  foolish  and  unreasonable,  and 


96  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

do  they  endeavor  to  persuade  you  that  they  are 
not  sufficiently  attested,  and  there  is  not  ground 
enough  to  give  credit  to  them  *?  Though  there 
have  been  particular  answers  given  to  each  of 
these  cavils  in  the  first  discourse  ;  yet  you  may 
give  this  general  and  short  reply  to  all  of  them, 
and  say,  '  I  am  sure  they  are  not  contrary  to 
reason  ;  for  they  are  divine.  They  are  not  ill* 
credible,  nor  do  they  want  sufficient  evidence  ; 
for  God  himself,  by  his  own  Spirit,  has  borne  wit- 
ness to  them  in  my  heart ;  He  has  Wrought  an 
almighty  work  there  by  the  means  of  this  gos- 
pel :  He  has  created  me  anew  unto  faith,  and 
hopes  and  holiness :  He  has  turned  my  heart 
from  earth  to  heaven,  and  subdued  the  sinful 
inclinationsof  my  nature  by  the  precepts,  by  the 
promises,  by  the  glorious  discoveries  of  this  gos- 
pel :  He  has  made  use  of  it  to  save  my  soul;  and  I 
carry  about  me  an  uncontrollable  proof  that  it 
came  from  heaven.'  Now,  though  this  sort  of 
argument  may  have  but  little  force  in  it  some- 
times for  the  conviction  of  the  infidel,  yet  it  is  of 
sufficient  force  to  establish  the  believer. 

But  I  proceed.  Do  they  fill  your  ears  with 
the  mean  and  contemptible  character  of  the 
professors  of  this  gospel]  Do  they  charge 
many  of  them  with  vicious  practices  ?  Do  they 
tell  you  of  their  different  opinions,  their  contests 


OF  THE   GOSPEL.  97 

and  their  quarrels  1  And  do  they  discourage 
you  by  pointing  to  the  apostates  that  have  for- 
saken the  faith?  You  may  defend  yourself 
and  your  profession  against  all  these  objections 
by  the  same  general  argument,  thus  ;  <  Are  the 
professors  of  it  some  of  the  mean  and  base 
things  of  this  world  ]  But  they  are  saints,  and 
this  gospel  has  made  them  so;  they  are  the 
sons  and  daughters  of  the  Most  High  God  by 
faith  in  this  gospel;  and  I  will  not  be  ashamed 
to  reckon  myself  of  their  society,  and  to  num- 
ber myself  amongst  them.  Are  there  many 
that  are  called  Christians,  whose  lives  are  vi- 
cious 1  Surely,  they  never  knew  this  gospel  in 
truth  ;  they  are  but  false  professors  of  it. — 
There  are  thousands  that  can  bear  this  witness 
to  the  gospel,  that  it  has  changed  their  hearts; 
it  has  renewed  their  natures  ;  it  has  made  them 
hate  every  vice,  and  their  lives  shine  amongst 
men  glorious  in  holiness,  and  resembling  God 
himself.  Are  the  sentiments  of  some  of  them 
different  from  others  1  It  is  chiefly  in  points  of 
lesser  importance  ;  but  the  substantial  truths 
of  it,  which  are  the  power  of  God  to  salvation, 
are  professed  and  acknowledged  by  us  all. 
And  though  a  thousand  should  forsake  this  gos- 
pel, and  become  apostates,  yet  I  can  never  part 


i 


98 


A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 


with  it,  while   I  feel  the  blessed  effects  of  it 
abiding  upon  my  heart,  and  I  trust  through  the 
grace  of  God,  they  shall  abide  forever.' 
This  leads  me  to  the  last  Inference. 
IV.  Inf.  What  strong  engagements  is  every 
true  Christian  under  to  maintain  the  profession 
of  this  gospel?    Not  only  is  he  laid  under  many 
obligations  from   the  commands  of  God,  and 
the  bonds  of  duty,  and  gratitude,  and  love,  but 
he  has  a   constant  pressing  obligation  within 
him.     '  How  can  I  be  ashamed  of  my  hope,  my 
portion,  my  everlasting  all?  Shall  I  be  ashamed 
of  that  gospel,   upon   which  my  salvation  is 
founded,  and  my  best  and  highest  interest,  even 
my  expectations  of  endless  felicity  ?    If  I  let  go 
this  faith,  if  I  loose  my  hold  of  this  gospel,  I 
let  go  my  hold  of  Christ,  of  God,  and  his  love ; 
I  let  go  my  hold  of  heaven  and  all  my  happiness : 
my  sins  all  return  upon  me  with  their  unsuffera- 
ble  loads  of  guilt  and  anguish  of  conscience,  if 
I  loose  my  faith  in  this  gospel;  for  all  my  hope 
of  pardon  is  built  on  this  foundation :   heaven 
with  ail  the  joys  of  it  vanish  from  my  soul,  if  I 
part  with  this  glorious  gospel  of  Christ;   and 
death  and  hell  face  me  with  all  their  terrors.' 

There  is  an  awful  and  solemn  motive  derived 
from  the  great  judgment  day  to  maintain  the 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  99 

profession  of  this  glorious  gospel ;  for  our  Lord 
himself  has  pronounced  this  threatening,  and  he 
will  fulfil  it,  'whosoever  shall  be  ashamed  of 
me  and  of  my  words  amongst  a  sinful  genera- 
tion of  men,  I  will  also  be  ashamed  of  him  before 
my  Father  and  his  holy  angels.'  But  this  text 
shall  be  the  subject  of  some  future  discourses. 


A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE  OF  THE  GOSPEL: 


COURAGE  IN  PROFESSING  CHRISTIANITY. 


Rom.  i.  16. 


The  gospel  of  Christ, — it  is  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth  ;  to  the 
Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Greek. 

Salvation  is  a  frequent  and  familiar  word  in 
the  mouth  of  all  who  call  themselves  Christians. 
It  is  a  sort  of  asseveration  or  oath  among  the 
looser  and  meaner  part  of  mankind;  as  I  hope 
to  be  saved.  But  little  do  they  know  what 
salvation  means.  All  the  notion  they  have  of 
it  is  this,  that  they  would  be  saved  from  going 
down  to  hell,  a  place  of  fire  and  torment,  and 
that  they  would  go  up  to  heaven  when  they  die, 
to  some  fine  unknown  shining  places  above  the 
skies,  where  they  shall  be  free  from  all  pain  and 
uneasiness.  This  is  the  utmost  point  to  which 
their  idea  reaches,  and  I  think  I  have  hit  their 
sense  exactly  in  this  description.     Alas  I    Poor 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  101 

ignorant  creatures!  They  have  no  thought  of 
being  saved  from  sin,  of  having  their  hearts 
made  holy,  their  sinful  inclinations  rectified, 
their  passions  subdued  or  refined,  their  love 
turned  toward  God  and  things  spiritual,  and  their 
desire  and  delight  fixed  upon  things  divine  and 
holy,  instead  of  their  sensual  entertainments 
of  flesh  and  blood.  They  have  no  concern 
about  the  pardon  of  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  restora- 
tion to  the  favor  or  image  of  God,  and  not  so 
much  as  a  wish  for  the  joys  that  arise  from  his 
love,  or  from  the  blessed  presence  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  in  the  world  to  come. 

I  have  shewn  you  therefore,  in  the  foregoing 
discourse,  what  this  salvation  is,  and  made  it 
appear  that  the  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  to 
salvation;  that  is,  it  is  a  powerful  means  in 
the  hand  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to  save  us  from 
the  guilt  of  sin,  and  to  give  us  a  right  to  heaven  ; 
to  save  us  from  the  power  of  sin,  to  fit  us  for 
the  business  and  the  joys  of  heaven,  and  ensure 
to  us  the  actual  possession  of  it. 

There  are  two  things  yet  remain  to  be  con- 
sidered in  discoursing  on  this  subject. 

I.  The  place  or  influence  that  faith,  or  believ- 
ing, hath  in  this  salvation  ;  for  the  gospel  pro- 
vides this  blessing  only  for  believers.  It  is 
i  2 


102  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

called  the  power  of  God  to  salvation  to  every- 
one who  believes. 

II.  The  wide  extent  of  this  glorious  benefit : 
it  belongs  to  every  one  that  believes,  whether 
Greek,  or  Jew. 

I  shall  treat  of  each  of  these  particularly. 

First,  Since  the  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  to 
the  salvation  of  them  that  believe,  let  us  in- 
quire, what  place  or  influence  has  our  faith  in 
this  sacred  concernment ! 

To  answer  this,  we  may  consider  faith  in  its 
various  acts  or  degrees  of  exercise,  as  it  begins 
in  this  assent,  as  it  proceeds  to  affiance,  and  as 
it  is  completed  in  assurance ;  and  shew  what 
influence  each  of  them  hath  in  the  work  of 
salvation. 

1.  An  assent  to  the  truths  of  the  gospel  must 
begin  the  work  of  salvation  in  us  :  there  must 
be  a  belief  and  inward  conviction  of  our  sinful 
and  dangerous  state,  which  is  more  clearly 
revealed  under  the  gospel,  and  that  there  is  an 
atonement  made  for  sin  by  the  blood  of  Christ : 
we  must  believe,  that  there  is  forgiveness  to  be 
found  with  God  for  the  sake  of  this  atonement ; 
and  that  there  is  grace  enough  in  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  renew  our  sinful  natures,  and  to  fit 
us  for  heaven.  This  usually  begets  in  the  sin- 
ner who  is  truly  awakened  some  desire  toward 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  103 

this  salvation,  and  some  distant  hope  of  obtain- 
ing it.  When  the  poor  perishing  creature  be- 
lieves and  beholds  the  glorious  influence  of  the 
death  and  righteousness  of  Christ  to  justify  a 
sinner  in  the  sight  of  God  ;  when  he  surveys 
the  love,  the  wisdom,  the  grace  and  the  power 
of  Christ,  answerable  to  all  his  wants,  he  then 
comes  to  determine  thus  with  himself,  'This  sal- 
vation is  glorious  and  desirable  ;  the  methods 
proposed  even  for  my  own  attainment  of  it,  are 
practicable  and  sufficient,  and  why  should  not 
I  apply  myself  to  this  Saviour,  and  seek  this 
unspeakable  happiness  ?' 

2.  Affiance  or  trust  in  Jesus  Christ  the  Saviour, 
is  the  next  degree  of  faith.  When  we  are  wil- 
ling to  be  delivered  from  the  condemning  guilt 
of  sin,  and  from  the  defiling  power  of  it,  and 
have  seen  an  all-sufficiency  of  atonement,  grace 
and  power  in  Christ,  then  we  commit  our  souls 
into  the  hands  of  Jesus  the  Mediator,  for  this 
blessed  purpose,  and  make  a  solemn  surrender 
of  our  whole  selves  unto  his  charge  and  care, 
that  we  may  be  pardoned  for  the  sake  of  his 
death,  that  we  may  be  accepted  of  God  through 
his  righteousness,  that  we  may  be  sanctified 
and  made  holy  by  his  grace  and  spirit,  and  that 
we  may  be  fitted  for  and  preserved  to  his  hea- 
venly   kingdom.     We  reflect  upon  our  past 


104  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

iniquities,  and  mourn  to  think  that  we  have  been 
rebels  so  long ;  we  are  ashamed  and  grieved 
for  our  rebellions,  and  we  now  most  earnestly 
desire  to  be  made  willing  subjects  to  his  holy 
goverment ;  and  therefore  we  entrust  our  souls 
with  him,  and  beg  that  he  would  take  us  under 
his  care  for  this  end,  and  bring  us  into  the 
Father's  presence  with  comfort  and  joy.  This 
is  the  soul's  coming  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ. 

Now  su£h  an  act  of  faith,  as  this  is,  has  some 
sensible  tendency  to  promote  the  peace  of  a 
distressed  conscience,  the  sanctification  of  a 
sinful  nature,  the  solid  hope  of  heaven,  and  a 
preparation  for  it.  But  still  it  must  be  acknow- 
ledged, that  its  original  and  chief  influence 
arises  from  divine  appointment.  The  gospel  is 
the  power  of  God  to  salvation,  and  it  is  by 
divine  promise  and  power  that  faith  saves  the 
soul.  Such  a  faith,  or  trust  in  Christ,  has  all 
the  promises  of  gospel  blessings  belonging  to  it. 
God  has  appointed  in  his  word,  and  it  is  the 
standing  rule  of  the  gospel,  he  that  believes 
shall  be  saved;  Mark  xvi.  15,  16. 

All  the  parts  of  salvation  come  by  faith : 
justification,  and  favor  in  the  sight  of  God  ; 
Rom.  v.  1.  Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have 
peace  with  God.  Adoption  comes  also  by  faith ; 
GaL  iii.  2.6.     Ye  are  the  children  of  God  by  faith 


OF    THE   GOSPEL.  105 

in  Christ  Jesus.  Sanctification  is  ascribed  to 
the  same  principle  ;  Act.  xv.  19.  The  Gentiles 
had  their  hearts  purified  from  sin  by  faith.  Joy 
and  hope  come  in  this  way  also  ;  Rom.  xv.  13. 
The  God  of  hope  Jill  yon  with  all  joy  and  peace 
in  believing,  that  ye  may  abound  in  hope  through 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  you  may  read 
several  of  these  benefits  of  the  gospel,  these 
divine  ingredients  of  our  salvation  put  together, 
and  all  attributed  to  faith;  Act.  xxvi.  18.  '/ 
send  thee  new  to  the  Gentiles?  saith  the  Lord 
Jesus  to  St.  Paul,  *  to  open  their  eyes,  to  turn 
them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the 
power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that  they  may  receive 
forgiveness  of  sinse  and  inheritance  among 
them  which  are  sanctified,  by  faith  that  is  in 
me/ 

Faith,  or  affiance  in  Jesus  Christ,  is  an  accep- 
tance of  this  salvation,  it  is  a  trust  in  the  offered 
grace,  it  is  a  dependance  on  the  promises  of 
the  gospel,  confirmed  by  Christ,  it  is  the  sur- 
render of  a  sinful  soul  to  Jesus  the  Saviour,  to 
perform  his  whole  work  of  grace  for  him  and  to 
nim;  and  thereby  the  believing  sinner,  accord- 
ing to  the  appointment  of  God  in  his  gospel, 
partakes  of  all  the  benefits  that  are  treasured 
up  in  Christ. 

Faith  in  the  gospel  relieves  the  distressed 


106  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

soul  under  a  sense  of  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  the 
humble  weary  sinner  finds  mercy  to  forgive, 
and  strength  to  subdue  it.  Faith  appropri- 
ates and  applies  the  blood  of  Christ,  that  sove- 
reign medicine,  to  the  wounds  of  a  guilty  con- 
science, and  the  conscience  finds  ease  and 
refreshment.  It  applies  the  grace  of  Christ, 
that  powerful  antidote,  to  expel  the  venom  of 
in-dwelling  sin,  and  the  soul  is  healed  in  some 
measure,  and  the  poison  is  expelled.  It  lays 
hold  on  the  power  of  Christ  to  assist  in  the  per- 
formance of  every  duty,  and  it  obtains  divine 
assistance.  Every  true  believer  has  experi- 
enced something  of  these  benefits,  by  a  sincere 
surrender  of  himself  to  Christ  in  such  a  way  of 
trust  and  holy  dependance. 

Can  the  thirsty  soul  taste  of  the  running 
water,  and  not  find  refreshment,  since  God, 
who  created  water,  has  ordained  it  to  refresh 
the  thirsty  1  Can  weary  limbs  lie  down  on  a 
bed,  and  not  finJ  ease,  since  a  bed  is  made  to 
give  ease  and  rest  to  the  weary  1  Can  a  faint- 
ing creature  drink  a  divine  cordial  appointed  to 
give  life,  and  yet  feel  no  revival?  No  more 
can  a  guilty,  distressed,  and  penitent  sinner 
believe  the  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  trust  in 
Jesus  the  Saviour,  and  yet  find  no  relief:  for 
this  is  the  will  and  settled  law  of  the  God  of 


OF    THE  GOSPEL.  107 

heaven,  that  peace    and  holiness  shall  be  ob- 
tained this  way. 

3.  When  faith  grows  up  to  assurance,  it  ap- 
proaches toward  complete  salvation.  Then  the 
Christian  can  say,  '  I  know  I  have  believed  on 
the  Son  of  God,  I  know  I  enjoy  his  favor.9 
Then  the  holiness  and  the  joy  increase,  for  the 
salvation  enters  into  the  soul  in  fuller  measures  : 
the  nearer  faith  arises  to  assurance  of  our  own 
interest  in  the  grace  of  Christ,  the  more  it  sup- 
ports the  soul,  the  more  it  comforts,  the  more  it 
sanctifies,  and  the  more  evidently  doth  the  gos- 
pel appear  to  be  divinely  powerful  to  save  us 
from  sin  and  hell. 

c  Can  I  believe  God  has  pardoned  me,  so  vile  a 
rebel,  and  forgiven  me  so  many  and  aggravated 
offences,  and  yet  is  it  possible  I  should  not  love 
him,  and  rejoice?  Can  I  be  assured  he.  loves 
me,  and  not  make  him  a  return  of  my  highest 
and  warmest  love]  Can  I  believe  that  Christ 
the  Son  of  God  died  for  me,  and  shall  I  not  con- 
secrate myself  and  all  the  powers  of  my  nature 
to  him,  that  I  may  live  devoted  to  his  service? 
He  has  bought  me  with  a  price,  a  dear  and 
valuable  price,  that  of  his  own  blood,  and  I 
must  glorify  him  with  my  body,  and  with  my 
soul,  which  are  his;  1  Cor.  vi.  20.  Can  I 
believe  that  I  am  redeemed  from  hell  and  de- 


108  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

struction,  and  shall  I  dare  to  walk  in  the  road 
that  leads  to  it?  and  not  rather  run  with  pa- 
tience and  joy  the  race  that  is  set  before  me, 
until  I  arrive  at  the  gates  of  heaven?  Am  I 
not  assured  that  Jesus  the  beloved  of  God,  suf- 
fered death  for  my  sins,  and  shall  not  I  hate  sin, 
which  caused  his  suffering?  Sin,  which  was  the 
occasion  of  his  agonies,  and  the  very  sting  of 
his  sorrows!  I  am  crucified  and  dead  to  sin 
and  to  this  world  by  my  union  with  a  crucified 
Saviour;  yet  I  live,  saith  the  divine  apostle,  and 
the  life  that  I  now  live  in  the  flesh  I  live  by  the 
faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  hath  loved  me,  and 
gave  himself  for  me;  Gal.  ii.  20.  How  is  it 
possible  that  I  should  hope  to  be  made  like 
Christ  in  glory,  with  a  full  assurance  of  arriving 
thither,  and  not  purify  myself  as  he  is  pure  1 
1  John  iii.  2,  3.  While  I  believe  and  am  persuad- 
ed that  the  promise  of  the  joys  of  heaven  shall 
be  fulfilled  to  me,  I  would  awaken  myself  hourly 
to  the  joyful  prospect,  and  be  ever  preparing 
for  the  possession  of  that  blessedness. ' 

Thus  when  faith  rises  to  a  sublime  and  emi- 
nent degree  in  this  world,  the  believer  may  be 
said  to  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory,  and  to  receive  the  end  of  his  faith,  even 
the  salvation  of  his  soul;   1  Pet.  i.  8,  9. 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  109 

Before  I  pass  to  the  second  head,  I  desire 
leave  to  make  these  few  remarks. 

Remark  I.  Though  the  first  degree  of  faith 
or  assent  to  the  gospel  be  necessary  to  salva- 
tion, yet  it  is  not  of  itself  sufficient ;  and  though 
the  last  degree  of  faith  or  assurance  be  glori- 
ously useful  in  this  work,  yet  it  is  not  absolutely 
necessary. 

A  mere  assent  to  the  truths  of  the  gospel  is 
not  sufficient  to  save ;  for  there  are  many  who 
by  the  force  of  education,  or  by  the  force  of 
argument,  yield  their  assent  to  the  doctrine, 
and  believe  it  to  be  true ;  yet  it  is  a  cold,  feeble, 
languid  assent ;  it  begins  and  ends  in  the  head, 
and  never  reaches  the  heart;  it  does  not  awaken 
them  thoroughly,  nor  make  them  long  after  the 
pardon  and  the  grace  promised  :.they  seWm*  w: 
sit  still,  contented  with  the  forms  of  their' cate- 
chism, and  a  general  belief  of  the   Christian 
religion,  so  far  as  they  know  it ;  but  are  under 
no  painful  solicitude,  or  concern  of  soul,  about 
the  forgiveness  of  their  sins,  the  sanctification 
of  their  natures,  their  interest  in  the  favor  of 
God  and  eternal  happiness  ;  and  therefore  they 
proceed  no  farther ;  they  never  heartily  apply 
themselves  to  Jesus  Christ  the  only  Saviour, 
and  they  fall  short  of  the  blessing.     The  devils 


1  10  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

believe  as  much  as  they  do,  but  are  in  a  state 
of  damnation  still 

Again,  consider  that  a  full  assurance  of  our 
own  interest  in  the  favor  of  God  through  Jesus 
Christ,  is  the  highest  degree  of  attainment  on 
earth  ;  but  it  is  not  necessary  to  the  being 
of  Christianity,  nor  doth  it  belong  to  every 
Christian.  It  is  true  indeed,  that  every  one 
ought  to  seek  after  it  by  the  frequent  exercise 
of  faith  and  love,  and  every  grace,  thus  bright- 
nign  the  evidences  of  his  saving  interest  in  the 
blessings  of  the  gospel  daily  ;  and  where  assu- 
rance is  obtained  upon  solid  grounds,  holiness 
and  joy  will  rise  by  swiit  degrees,  and  the  soul 
will  make  glorious  advances  towards  the  hea- 
venly state  and  complete  salvation :  but  some 
Christians  scarce  ever  arrive  at  this  attainment 
al(l&e^adays.. 

$J£cej/therefor£  a  mere  assent  to  the  gospel 
in  general  is  not  sufficient  for  salvation,  and  a 
full  assurance  of  our  own  interest  is  not  neces- 
sary, it  follows,  that  an  affiance  or  trust  in  Christ 
as  a  Saviour,  is  the  most  essential  and  important 
act  of  faith.  This  is  that  sacred  and  appointed 
duty  of  a  convi  ced  soul,  whereby  it  is  made 
partaker  of  the  blessings  of  salvation  according 
to  the  gospel,  hit  be  practised  in  the  way  which 
I  have  just  before  described. 


OF    THE  GOSPEL.  Ill 

Remark  II.  Take  notice  here  of  the  diffe- 
rence between  the  law  and  the  gospel,  between 
the  covenant  of  works  and  the  covenant  of  grace. 
The  one  gives  us  life  upon  our  working,  the 
other  saves  us  from  death,  and  givr  s  us  a  right 
to  heaven  upon  our  believing1.  Therefore  one 
is  called  the  law  of  works,  and  the  other  the  law 
of  faith  ;  Rom.  iii.  27. 

It  is  proper  here  to  observe,  that  the  scrip- 
ture sometimes  speaks  of  two  covenants ;  the 
old  and  the  new  :  and  means  chiefly  the  oecono- 
my  or  dispensation  of  the  Jews  under  Moses, 
and  the  ceconomy  of  Christ,  or  the  dispensation 
of  the  gospel  since  the  Messiah  came.  But  by 
the  two  covenants  I  now  speak  of,  I  would  be 
understood  to  mean  the  law  or  constitution  of 
innocency,  and  the  constitution  of  grace. 

By  the  constitution,  or  law  of  innocency,  man 
was  to  have  obtained  eternal  life  before  his  fall; 
and  as  this  law  or  covenant  was  given  to  Adam 
as  the  head  and  representative  of  all  mankind,  so 
every  son  and  daughter  of  Adam  continues  un- 
der it,  until  they  accept  of  the  covenant  of  grace, 
or  the  offers  of  the  gospel,  either  in  the  darker 
or  brighter  discoveries  of  it :  and  therefore  all 
mankind,  Jews  and  Gentiles,  are  laid  under 
condemnation  by  it  in  the  writings  of  St.  Paul, 
in  the  second  and  third  chapters  to  the  Romans. 


U2  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

By  this  law  of  works  every  mouth  is  stopped, 
and  the  whole  world  is  become  guilty  before 
God;  Rom.  iii.  19.  Though  the  nations  of  the 
Jews  and  Christians,  and  perhaps  the  greatest 
part  of  the  heathen  world  have  had  some  reve- 
lations of  the  gospel  or  covenant  of  grace,  and 
have  been  under  the  outward  offers  of  it ;  yet 
Jews,  Heathens,  and  National  Christians,  are  all 
under  the  sentence  of  the  covenant  or  law  of 
works,  until  they  enter  into  the  covenant  of 
grace  by  repentance  and  faith  in  the  mercy 
of  God. 

But  the  covenant  of  grace,  or  the  gospel,  is  a 
new  constitution,  which  God  hath  ordained  for 
the  relief  of  poor,  fallen,  miserable  man,  con- 
demned and  perishing  under  the  curse  of  the 
law  of  works.  It  is  a  constitution  of  grace, 
whereby  alone  fallen  sinners  can  obtain  salva- 
tion. 

The  law  of  works  demands  universal  obedi- 
ence to  all  the  commands  of  God,  obedience 
perfect  and  persevering:  for  this  is  the  lan- 
guage of  it;  the  man  that  doth  them,  shall  live 
in  them;  Rom.  x.  5.  and  it  curses  every  sinner 
without  hope  or  remedy ;  cursed  is  every  one 
that  continueth  not  in  all  things  that  are  written 
in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them  ;  Gal  iii.  10, 
1  %.    But  the  voice  of  the  gospel,  the  righteous  • 


OP  THE  GOSPEL.  113 

ness  of  faith,  or  the  way  of  justification  by  Christ, 
speaketh  on  this  wise ;  with  the  heart,  man 
believelh  unto  right eousness,  and  with  the  mouth 
confession  is  made  unto  salvation  ;  for  the  just 
shall  live  by  faith  ;  Rom.  x.  10.  Gal.  ii.  11. 
The  one  proclaims  eternal  life  to  all  that  per- 
fectly obey,  the  other  publishes  salvation  to  all 
that  believe,  though  their  obedience  be  very 
imperfect. 

I  grant  indeed,  that  the  apostle  cites  these 
descriptions  of  the  law  of  works  out  of  the  books 
of  Moses,  and  therefore  some  persons  would 
suppose  him  only  to  mean  the  particular  law 
given  to  the  Jews  at  Mount  Sinai,  and  not 
the  general  covenant  of  works  made  with  Adam 
and  with  all  mankind  in  him. 

But  to  this  I  give  these  two  answers. 

1.  Answ.  The  law  of  works,  which  the  apostle 
speaks  of  in  the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  particu- 
larly in  the  second  and  third  chapters,  cannot 
signify  merely  the  Jewish  law  ;  for  it  is  such  a 
law  as  includes  all  the  heathen  world,  as  appears 
plain;  Ro*m.  ii.  14.  15.  and  by  which  the  hea- 
thens as  well  as  the  Jews  were  cosdemned, 
and  could  never  be  justified ;  Rom.  iii.  20.  By 
the  deeds  of  the  law  shale  no  flesh  be  justified  in 
his  sight,  for  by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin  ; 
therefore  this  must  be  a  law  that  extended  to  all 

K  2 


114  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

mankind,  since  it  stops  every  mouth,  and  pro- 
claims the  whole  world  guilty  before  God. 

2.  Answ.  The  law  given  to  the  Jews,  or  the 
covenant  of  Sinai,  so  far  as  it  is  purely  political, 
was  indeed  a  covenant  of  works;  and  their 
continuance  in,  or  rejection  out  of  the  land  of 
Canaan,  depended  upon  their  own  works,  their 
obedience  or  disobedience  to  this  law,  as  is 
often  expressed  in  the  writings  of  Moses :  and 
upon  this  account  it  is  used  sometimes  by  the 
apostle  as  a  very  proper  emblem  or  representa- 
tive of  the  covenant  of  works  made  with  our 
first  father  Adam,  who  was  to  have  enjoyed  or 
forfeited  some  earthly  or  heavenly  paradise, 
according  to  his  obedience  or  disodedience.  It 
is  plain  then,  that  though  St.  Paul  may  cite  the 
law  of  Moses  to  show  the  nature  of  a  law  of 
works  in  general,  yet  it  does  not  follow  that  he 
means  only  the  law  or  covenant  of  Sinai ;  and 
it  is  as  plain,  by  his  including  the  Gentiles  under 
it,  that  he  does  not  mean  the  law  of  Sinai,  but 
the  original  law  or  covenant  of  works  made 
with  all  mankind  in  Adam,  their  fathef  and  their 
head,  and  of  which  the  law  of  Sinai  was  a  proper 
emblem  or  figure. 

All  laws  of  works  therefore  are  insufficient  for 
the  salvation  of  sinful  man,  and  his  resortation  to 
God's  favor  and  image,  and  eternal  life.     The 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  115 

law  of  Sinai  was  a  law  of  works,  promising  an 
earthly  Canaan  to  the  obedient  Jews.  The  law 
of  innocency  in  Eden  was  a  law  of  works,  pro- 
mising life  and  immortality  to  obedient  mankind. 
But  they  have  been  both  wretchedly  broken ; 
man  was  turned  out  of  Paradise,  and  the  Jews 
out  of  Canaan,  because  of  disobedience.  But 
now  the  gospel,  whereby  the  Jews  or  Gentiles 
are  to  be  saved,  or  to  obtain  eternal  life,  re- 
quires faith  in  the  mercy  and  promises  of  God 
in  and  through  Jesus  Christ-;  and  by  this  means 
it  saves  us,  though  our  obedience  be  far  short 
of  perfection.  This  was  the  way  whereby  the 
Jews  themselves  were  saved  under  the  Old 
Testament;  for  the  gospel  was  preached  to 
them  as  well  as  unto  us  ;  Heb.  iv.  2 ;  though  it 
was  in  darker  hints  and  types,  and  figures.  And 
in  this  way  were  Abraham  and  David  justified, 
as  the  apostle  teaches;  Rom.  iv.  3,  4,  5,  6. 

Though  the  Jews  enjoyment  of  the  land  of 
Canaan  depended  on  their  good  works  and 
obedience  to  the  Law  of  Moses,  yet  their  hope 
and  enjoyment  of  heaven  depended  on  then- 
faith  or  trust  in  the  mercy  of  God,  which  was  to 
be  farther  revealed  in  the  days  of  the  Messiah. 
And  it  is  the  same  gospel  by  which  we  are  to 
obtain  salvation,  since  Christ  is  come  in  the 
flesh ;  but  with  this  difference,  that  we  are  now 


\{Q  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

more  expressly  required  to  make  Jesus  Christ 
the  object  of  our  faith,  and  we  have  a  thousand 
clearer  discoveries  of  his  righteousness  and 
grace  than  ever  the  Jews  were  favored  with. 

Happy  mankind  !  though  fallen  and  ruined  in 
Adam,  yet  recovered  and  raised  to  rightousness. 
grace  and  glory  by  Jesus  Christ.  How  dread- 
ful is  that  law  which  pronounces  a  curse  and 
death  upon  every  transgressor  !  Tribulation 
and  wrath,  indignation  and  anguish,  upon  every 
soul-than  doth  evil,  to  the  Jewjirst,  and  also  to 
the  Gentile;  Rom.  ii.  9.  But  how  sweet  and 
reviving  is  the  grace  of  that  gospel,  which 
becomes  the  power  of  God  to  the  salvation  of 
every  one  that  believes,  to  the  Jew  first  and 
also  to  the  Greek  ! 

The  great  and  blessed  God  saw  the  frailty  of 
his  creature  man,  how  ready  he  was  to  ruin 
himself  under  a  law  of  woi  ks ;  therefore  he  has 
appointed  his  recovery  by  a  law  of  faith.  And 
what  the  law  could  i  ot  do,  in  that  it  was  weak 
through  the  infirmity  of  our  flesh,  that  he  has 
sent  his  own  Son  Jesus  Christ  in  the  likeness  of 
sinful  flesh,  to  do  for  us,  to  fulfil  all  the  demands 
of  the  law  both  in  the  penalty  and  the  precept, 
to  finish  transgression,  to  make  an  end  of  sin  by 
his  own  sufferings,  and  to  brh  g  in  an  everlast- 
ing righteousness,  that  whosoever  believes  on 


OP  THE  GOSPEL.  1  17 

and  condescending  are  thy  ways  to  the  children 
of  men  !  how  full  of  compassion  to  rebels,  who 
had  destroyed  themselves!  how  gentle  are  the 
methods  of  thy  recovering  mercy!  if  we  will 
but  confess  our  sin?  mourn  over  our  own  follies, 
return  to  the  Lord  ou  God,  by  humble  repent- 
ance, and  put  our  trust  in  an  Almighty  Saviour, 
there  is  peace  and  pardon,  there  is  grace,  and 
iife,  and  glory  provided  for  us,  and  laid  up  in  the 
hands  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

Remark  III.  Though  the  gospel  offers  us  sal- 
vation by  faith  and  not  by  works,  yet  it  effec- 
tually secures  the  practice  of  holiness,  since 
holiness  is  a  part  of  that  salvation.  We  are 
saved  from  sin  as  well  as  from  hell,  by  this 
gospel ;  and  we  must  have  our  souls  prepared 
for  heaven,  as  well  as  brought  to  the  possession 
of  it.  He  that  pretends  to  trust  in  Christ  for  a 
deliverance  from  hell,  and  has  no  desire  to  be 
made  holy,  he  has  no  desire  after  such  a  salva- 
tion as  Christ  proposes  in  his  gospel,  nor  is  he 
like  to  attain  it. 

We  must  be  sensible  then  of  the  corruption 
of  our  natures,  the  perverseness  of  our  wills, 
the  vanity  of  our  minds,  the  earthliness  of  our 
affections,  cur  inability  to  do  that  which  is  good 
him  should  be  saved.     Blessed  God  !  how  kind 


118  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

for  time  to  come,  as  well  as  our  guilt,  condem- 
nation and  misery,  because  of  our  transgressions 
past :  we  must  desire  that  a  thorough  work  oi 
repentance  may  be  wrought  in  our  hearts,  that 
the  power  and  reign  of  si  i  maybe  broken  there, 
and  that  we  may  beco  ne  new  creatures  as 
well  as  desire  to  es.^ipe  the  wrath  of  God,  ar.d 
hell,  and  eternal  death,  if  ever  we  would  be 
partakers  of  that  salvation  which  the  gospel 
proposes.  Christ  will  not  divide  one  part  of  his 
salvation  from  the  other:  and  in  vain  do  we 
presume  to  trust  in  him  for  happiness,  if  we  are 
not  willing  to  be  made  holy  too. 

How  false  and  unreasonable  are  all  the  re- 
proaches that  are  cast  upon  the  doctrine  of 
salvation  by  faith,  as  thougn  it  tended  to  pro- 
mote looseness  of  life,  and  to  indulge  iniquity; 
when  that  very  salvation  includes  in  it  a  freedom 
from  the  power  of  sin,  and  a  delight  in  all  that 
is  holy]  Tnis  is  the  very  character  of  Christ 
our  Saviour,  and  the  reason  of  his  name  Jesus, 
that  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins ; 
Matth.  i.  21.  If  we  are  delivered  by  Christ,  it  is 
from  this  present  wicked  world ;  Gal.  i.  4.  If 
we  are  redeemed,  it  is  from  all  i.:iquily,  that  we 
might  be  a  peculiar  people,  purified  to  himself, 
zealous  of  good  works;  Tit.  ii.   14. 

Remark  IV.    Though  the  gospel  is  such  u 


OF    THE   GOSPEL.  1  1  i* 

glorious  doctrine  of  grace,  that  there  is  no  rea- 
son to  be  ashamed  of  it,  yet  since  it  saves  us  by 
faith,  and  not  by  works,  theie  is  no  reason  for 
us  to  boast  when  we  are  saved.  \\  e  may  glory 
indeed  in  the  Cross  of  Christ,  and  make  our 
boast  in  the  Redeemer  ail  tne  day  long ;  but  the 
gospel  for  ever  cuts  off  all  ground  of  boasting  in 
ourselves.  Here  the  justice  and  mercy  of  God 
shine  forth  gloriously ;  here  the  righteousness 
of  God  is  declared,  sinners  find  remission  or 
pardon,  God  is  just  and  a  justifier  of  him 
who  believeth  id  Jesus.  Where  is  boasting- 
then  ?  It  is  excluded.  By  what  law  !  Of  works  ? 
Nay;  but  by  the  law  of  faith;  Rom.  hi.  25,  26, 
27.  By  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith,  and 
that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God  ;  not 
of  works,  lest  any  mau  should  boast;  Eph.  ii 
3,  9. 

The  gospel  concurs  with  the  law  in  this  re- 
spect, that  it  shows  us  our  own  guilt  and  vileness 
our  ruin  and  our  impotence  to  restore  ourselves, 
and  therefore  it  has  put  all  our  help  upon 
another.  God  has  laid  <>vr  help  upon  one  that 
is  mighty  to  save ;  Psal.  lxxxix.  19;  and  he  has 
ordained  that  the  way  whereby  we  should 
derive  this  salvation,  is  by  renouncing  all  depen- 
dence upon  self,  and  trusting  in  Christ  and 
grace  for  all  that  w  e  enjoy  and  hope  for.     Thi5* 


120  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

is  the  business  of  faith ;  this  is  the  very  nature 
of  that  Christian  virtue,  to  disclaim  all  self-suffi- 
ciency, and  receive  all  from  mere  mercy;  and 
therefore  it  is  appointed  to  be  the  means  of  our 
justification  under  the  gospel ;  therefore  it  is 
said  so  often  in  scripture,  that  we  are  justified 
by  faith,  that  divine  grace  may  have  all  the 
glory  ;  Rom.  iv.  1  6  Therefore  it  is  of  faith  that 
it  might  be  of  grace.  We  are  ignorant  and 
foolish,  and  must  derive  wisdom  from  Christ: 
we  are  guilty,  and  must  receive  righteousness 
from  him;  we  are  unholy,  he  is  the  spring  of 
our  sanctification ;  we  are  captives  ands  laves 
to  sin  and  Satan,  and  we  must  have  redemption 
from  him :  He  is  made  of  God  to  us  wisdom, 
righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption, 
that  no  flesh  might  glory  in  his  presence  ;  but 
he  that  glories,  must  glory  in  the  Lord;  1  Cor. 
i.  29,  30. 

Man,  innocent  man,  had  power  and  righteous- 
ness, and  life  put  into  his  own  hands;  but  the 
first  Adam  grew  vain  in  his  self-sufficiency,  and 
he  foolishly  sinned  and  lost  it  all :  therefore  God, 
in  order  to  our  recovery,  would  put  power  and 
righteosness,  and  life  into  the  hands  of  another, 
even  his  own  Son,  the  second  Adam,  that  we 
might  go  out  of  ourselves,  and  seek  it  all  from 
another  hand.    Now  faith,  or  trust,  is  the  proper 


OF    THE  GOSPEL,  121 

act  of  the  soul,  to  express  our  own  emptiness, 
and  our  dependence  on  another  for  all. 

This  is  the  language  of  faitn,  <  Lord  I  am  a 
sinful  and  guilty  creature  ;  I  have  no  righteous- 
ness, no  merit  to  recommend  me  to  thy  favor ; 
I  have  no  power  to  change  my  unholy  nature, 
and  rectify  the  criminal  disorders  of  my  soul ; 
I  am  unable  to  subdue  the  sins  that  dwell  in  me, 
or  to  practice  the  required  duties  of  holiness  ;  I 
deserve  condemnation  and  death,  and  I  am  by 
nature  walking  in  the  way  to  hell :  helpless  and 
hopeless  forever  in  myself,  but  in  thy  rich 
grace  is  all  my  hope  :  I  rejoice  in  the  discove- 
ries of  thy  mercy;  I  come  at  the  call  of  thy  gospel, 
upon  the  bending  knees  of  my  soul  I  accept  of 
the  proposals  of  thy  grace  ;  I  give  up  myself  to 
thy  power  and  mercy,  as  it  is  revealed  in  Jesus 
Christ,  thy  Son,  that  I  may  be  saved  from  sin 
and  hell.  To  me  belongs  nothing  but  shame 
and  confusion  of  face :  I  renounce  forever  all 
self-sufficiency,  and  if  ever  I  am  saved,  thy  grace 
shall  have  all  the  glory.'  Now  when  a  poor 
humbled  sinner  is  brought  thus  far,  and  receives 
the  salvation  of  God  in  this  lowly  posture  of  soul, 
the  great  God  has  obtained  a  good  part  of  his 
designs  in  the  gospel  upon  him;  self  is  humbled, 
grace  is  glorified,  and  the  sinner  is  saved  by 
faith. 


\ZZ  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

Remark  V.  Heaven  is  made  up  of  believers- 
The  whole  number  of  the  saved  were  once  sin- 
ners, and  obtained  salvation  by  faith. 

The  holy  angels  indeed  never  sinned,  and 
yet  whether  their  confirmed  state  of  holiness 
and  glory  is  not  secured  to  them  by  trust,  or 
dependance  on  Christ,  may  be  a  reasonable 
inquiry  ;  for  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth  are 
said  to  be  gathered  together,  and  reconciled  in 
him;  Ephes.  i.  10.  Col.  i.  20.  But  this  we  are 
sure  of,  that  not  one  of  all  the  race  of  Adam 
hath  been  restored  to  the  love  of  God,  or  raised 
to  heaven,  by  their  own  works,  but  all  by  faith. 
It  is  sovereign  and  glorious  grace  that  has  saved 
them  all,  and  that  by  the  gospel  too,  in  the  va- 
rious editions  of  it,  from  the  promise  in  Eden 
until  the  full  discovery  of  grace  at  the  days  of 
Pentecost  after  the  ascension  of  Christ. 

O  it  is  a  pleasing  entertainment  of  soul  to 
send  our  thoughts  forward  to  the  last  great 
day,  or  to  send  them  upward  to  the  courts  of  j 
heaven  and  glory,,  and  to  hear  how  the  millions 
of  redeemed  sinners  shout  and  sing  to  the  - 
honor  of  divine  grace  !  How  all  that  happy  world 
of  believers  assist  the  melody,  and  dwell  upon 
the  delightful  sound.  'Not  unto  us,  O  God  our 
Father,  not  unto  us,  but  to  thine  own  name, 
and  to  thy  mercy  be  all  our  honors  paid  through 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  123 

the  ages  of  eternity.  We  were  a  race  of  guilty 
and  perishing  rebels,  who  had  sinned  against 
thy  majesty,  and  ruined  our  own  souls:  we  lay 
upon  the  borders  of  death  and  hell  without  help 
and  without  hope:  we  could  do  nothing  to  pro- 
cure thy  love,  nor  merit  aiy  this  g  by  the  best 
of  our  works:  but  thou  hasi  called  us  to  believe 
thy  gospel,  to  trust  in  thy  grace,  to  lay  down 
the  arms  of  our  rebellion,  and  to  receive  the 
blessings  of  salvation  by  faith:  we  have  nothing 
to  boast  of,  for  we  are  mere  receivers :  thou 
hast  put  forth  thine  almighty  arm,  and  hast 
made  thy  gospel  the  instrument  of  thy  power  to 
save  us;  and  while  we  feel  and  taste  the  com- 
plete salvation,  thy  power  and  thy  mercy  shall 
have  all  the  praise. 

6  Not  unto  us,  O  Lord  Jesus  our  Saviour,  not 
unto  us,  is  any  honor  due ;  but  to  thy  conde- 
scending love;  to  thy  compassion  and  death 
shall  our  honors  be  paid,  and  our  acknowledg- 
ments made  for  ever.  We  saw  ourselves  help- 
less, and  were  directed  to  thee  for  help  :  we 
trusted  in  thee,. and  thou  hast  saved  us;  it  is 
thy  sufferings  that  have  procured  our  pardon; 
it  is  by  faith  in  thy  blood  we  find  an  atonement; 
it  is  through  thy  righteousness  that  we  are 
justified  and  accepted  of  God,  and  made  parta- 
kers of  these  heavenly  glories  that  shine  all 


124  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

around  us.  All  our  sacred  comforts,  our  excel- 
lencies, and  our  joys  are  thine.  Pride  is  hidden 
from  our  eyes  for  ever,  and  boasting  is  banished 
from  all  our  tongues:  it.is  thou  hast  fulfilled  the 
law ;  it  is  thou  hast  suffered  the  curse ;  it  is  thou 
hast  purchased,  and  promised,  and  bestowed 
the  blessing.  We  believed  thy  word,  we  re- 
ceived thy  grace,  and  behold,  we  dying  sinners 
are  raised  to  life,  and  advanced  to  glory.  There 
is  not  a  soul  of  us  but  delights  to  join  in  those 
sublime  anthems  of  worship;  worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches, 
and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory, 
and  blessing :  blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory, 
and  power  be  to  him  that  sits  upon  the  thronev 
and  to  the  Lamb  forever.     Amen 


A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE  OF  THE  GOSPEL: 
OR, 

COURAGE  IN  PROFESSING  CHRISTIANITY. 


Rom.  i.  16. 


For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ : 
for  it  is  th>>  power  of  God  unto  salvation,  to 
every  one  that  believeth  ;  to  the  J eic  firsthand 
also  to  the  Greek. 

We  have  seen  the  gospel  of  Christ  vindicated 
in  the  former  discourses  on  this  text,  and  the 
glorious  doctrines  of  it  guarded  against  the  vari- 
ous reproaches  of  an  unbelieving  world :  we 
have  heard  what  a  powerful  instrument  it  is  in 
the  hand  of  God  for  the  salvation  of  perishing  sin- 
ners :  we  have  been  taught  the  way  to  partake 
of  this  salvation,  and  that  is  by  believing;  and 
we  have  learnt  what  influence  our  faith  has  in  this 
sacred  concernment.  I  proceed  now  to  the  last 
thing  which  I  proposed,  and  that  is  to  show  the 
wide  extent  of  this  blessing  of  the  gospel ;  for 
it  brings  salvation  to  every  one  that  believes,  to 

the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Greek, 
l2 


126  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

Where  the  word  Greek  is  used  in  opposition 
to  the  Barbarian,  as  it  is  in  the  fourteenth  verse 
before  my  text,  it  signifies  the  learned  part 
of  mankind,  as  distinguished  from  those  that 
are  unlearned ;  the  Greeks  being  the  most 
famous  among  the  nations  for  wisdom,  know- 
ledge, or  learning  in  that  day  :  but  when  this 
same  word  stands  in  opposition  to  the  Jew,  as  it 
does  here  in  my  text,  then  it  includes  all  the 
heathen  world  ;  so  that  when  the  apostle  says, 
the  gospel  brings  salvation  both  to  the  Jew  and 
the  Greek,  he  shows  the  extent  of  this  benefit 
to  all  mankind  that  hear  and  receive  it. 

It  may  be  worth  our  while  to  spend  a  few  hints 
upon  the  order  in  which  the  apostle  represents 
the  communication  of  this  blessing,  viz  :  to  the 
Jew  first,  and  then  to  the  Greek  or  Gentile. 

When  he  describes  in  the  second  chapter  of 
this  epistle  the  terms  or  conditions  of  the  cove- 
nant of  works,  he  sets  mankind  in  the  same 
order;  he  pronounces  indignation  and  wrath 
upon  every  soul  that  doth  evil,  of  the  Jew  first, 
and  also  of  the  Gentile ;  but  glory,  honor  and 
peace  to  every  man  that  worketh  good,  to  the 
Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Gentile.  So  when  he 
declares  the  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace  or 
the  gospel,  he  brings  the  salvation  first  upon  the 
Jews,  and  then  upon  the  Gentile  nations :  and 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  12? 

one  reason  of  it  may  be  this,  that  the  Jews  having 
been  favored  with  an  earlier  and  more  express 
discovery  of  the  nature  and  will  of  God  than  the 
heathens,  they  seem  to  stand  fairest  for  the 
participation  of  divine  blessing ;  and  that,  even 
by  the  law  of  works,  if  life  and  righteousness 
could  have  been  obtained  by  it,  as  well  as  by 
the  covenant  of  grace,  or  law  of  faith.  But  if 
they  abuse  their  knowledge,-  and  their  sacred 
advantages,  to  the  neglect  of  God  and  godliness, 
faith  and  works,  they  justly  fall  under  a  more 
severe  condemnation  every  way,  because  their 
guilt  is  greater. 

But  there  may  be  some  special  reasons  given, 
why  God  thought  it  proper  in  the  course  of  his 
providence  to  send  the  notice  of  this  salvation 
by  Jesus  Christ  among  the  Jews,  before  he  sent 
it  to  the  Gentile  world. 

I.  The  Jews  were  the  chosen  people  of  God, 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  Abraham,  his  friend, 
the  first  favorites  of  heaven  considered  as  a 
family  and  a  nation  ;  and  as  he  first  preached  to 
them  the  purity  and  perfections  of  his  law, 
whence  they  might  discover  their  own  sin  and 
misery,  so  he  published  his  gospel  of  grace  by 
Jesus  Christ  first  among  them,  and  sent  his  son 
with  the  messages  of  peace  and  forgiveness 
first  to'their  nation.     The  great  Goa  thought  it 


128  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

becoming  his  equity  to  publish  his  abounding 
mercy  first  toward  them,  amongst  whom  he  first 
published  his  law,  to  show  them  their  guilt  and 
misery  through  the  abounding  of  sin.  By  the 
law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin  ;  and  where  sin  has 
abounded,  grace  has  much  more  abounded, 
Rom.  3.  and  5. 

II.  The  Jews  had  this  same  gospel  preached 
to  them  many  ages  before  in  types  and  emblems,, 
in  sacred  ceremonies  and  dark  prophecies.  Now 
it  was  fit,  that  the  types  and  prophecies  should 
be  explained,  and  the  grace  contained  therein 
revealed  first  to  them ;  for  hereby  the  gospel 
obtained  a  great  confirmation,  and  established 
its  own  truth,  when  it  appeared  in  all  the  parts 
of  it  so  exactly  answerable  to  the  ancient  figures, 
and  to  the  predictions  of  many  hundred  years. 
It  was  fit  that  the  Messiah  should  appear  among 
them  first,  where  his  character  and  picture  had 
been  drawn  for  many  ages  before,  that  so  he 
might  be  known  and  distinguished  whensoever 
he  should  visit  the  world  It  was  fit  that  his 
doctrine  should  be  first  published  in  plain  lan- 
guage, where  it  had  been  long  written  and 
spoken  in  metaphors.  Thus  the  gospel  went 
forth  first  from  Jerusalem,  that  it  might  be 
preached  and  proclaimed  with  more  glorious 
evidence  among  the  rest  of  the  nations. 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  129 

III.  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  subject  and  sub- 
stance of  the  gospel,  was  himself  a  Jew,  of  the 
seed  of  Abraham,  of  the  nation  of  Israel.  He 
was  born,  he  lived,  he  died  amongst  them.  All 
the  great  affairs  of  his  birth,  his  life,  his  ministry, 
his  death  and  resurrection,  were  transacted  in 
their  country,  and  in  the  midst  of  them.  It  was 
fit  the  benefit  thereof  should  be  first  offered  to 
them. 

If  this  gospel  of  Christ  had  been  first  preached 
to  the  Gentiles,  while  it  was  kept  silent  and 
secret  amongst  the  Jews,  there  might  have  been 
reason  to  suspect  that  there  was  some  fraud  or 
falsehood  at  the  bottom,  and  that  this  doctrine 
would  not  bear  the  light  in  the  country  where 
these  things  were  done,  and  that  it  would  not 
stand  the  test  of  examination  in  the  land  of 
Judea,  and  therefore  the  story  was  told  first 
among  strangers  :  and  thus  the  Gentiles  might 
have  found  some  difficulty  to  receive  it,  and  been 
prejudiced  against  the  belief  of  it.  But  now, 
when  it  is  published  through  all  the  land  of 
Israel,  and  the  apostles  appeal  to  their  own 
countrymen  for  the  truth  of  these  *ra  sactions ; 
when  it  has  stood  the  test  of  public  examination 
there,  where  the  things  were  transacted,  it  goes 
forth  to  the  rest  of  the  nations  with  brighter 
evidence  and  glory. 


130  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

IV.  I  might  add,  in  the  last  place,  That  it  was 
lit  it  should  be  first  published  to  the  Jews,  who 
seemd  to  have  the  first  claim  to  it;  that  since 
they  refused  it,  it  might  be  offered  to  the  poor 
Gentile  nations  with  greater  justice  and  equity, 
even  the  Jews  themselves  being  judges.  Such 
are  the  frequent  hints  given  by  St.  Paul ;  Acts 
xiii.  46.  It  was  necessary  that  the  word  of  God 
should  have  been  first  spoken  to  you;  but  seeing 
ye  put  it  from  you,  and  judge  yourselves  unwor- 
thy of  everlasting  life,  In,  we  turn  to  the  Gen- 
tiles. Be  it  kn  ion,  therefore,  unto  you,  that  the 
salvation  of  God  is  sent  unto  the  Gentiles,  and 
they  will  hear  it;  Acts  xxviii.  28. 

When  we  think  of  that  poor  unhappy  nation, 
the  Jews,  scattered  abroad  among  all  the  king- 
doms of  the  earth,  banished  from  their  own  pro- 
mised land  for  their  rejection  of  Christ,  and  yet 
hardened  in  their  unbelief,  methinks  we  should 
send  out  a  groan  of  pity  for  them;  for  they  are 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  Abraham,  the  first  fa- 
vorites of  our  God.  Jesus  our  Saviour  was  their 
Messiah,  their  kinsman,  and  their  rightful  King. 
We  should  send  up  a  kind  wish  to  heaven  upon 
their  account,  "  How  long,  O  Lord,  how  long 
shall  Israel  be  cast  off]  How  long  wilt  thou  be 
;mgry  with  the  children  of  Abraham,  thy  friend? 
When  shall  the  day  come  for  the  opening  of  their 


OF  THE  GOSPEL.  131 

eyes,  that  they  may  look  on  Jesus  whom  they 
pierced,  and  believe  and  mourn  ?  When  shall 
the  veil  be  taken  off  from  their  hearts,  that  they 
may  read  the  name  of  Christ  in  the  books  of 
Moses,  and  trust  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom 
their  fathers  crucified  ?" 

When  we  see  one  and  another  of  the  Jewish 
nation  in   this   great  city,  and   think  of  their 
blindness  and  their  zeal  for  the  idle  traditions  of 
their  teachers,  and  observe  their  ignorant  rage 
against  our  blessed  Saviour;   when  we  behold 
the  vain  superstitious  of  their  worship,  the  thick 
darkness    that   hangs   upon   them   under    the 
brightest  beams  of  gospel-light,  and  their  wide 
distance  from  salvation,  we  should  let  our  eyes 
affect  our  hearts,  and  drop  a  tear  of  compassion 
upon  their  souls.     "  These  were  they  to  whom 
the  promises  of  salvation  did  first  belong,  and  to 
whom  the  first  news  was  brought  that  Jesus  the 
Saviour  is  born.     These  are  they  to  whom  the 
gospel  was  first  preached.     God  himself  dwelt 
in  the  midst  of  them,  and  the  Son  of  God  was 
their    brother,    their    flesh    and    their    blood. 
Though  they  are  for  a  season  cast  off  for  their 
infidelity,  yet  God  has  told  us,  that  he  has  a 
secret  love  for  that  nation  still,  for  their  father 
Abraham's  sake,   Rom.  xi.  28.  and   this  love 
shall  break  forth  in  its  full  glory  one  day.  Make 


132  A   RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

haste,  O  deliverer,  who  didst  come  out  of  Zion. 
make  haste  to  fulfil  thy  promises,  and  turn  away 
ungodliness  from  Jacob.  Let  the  fulness  of  the 
Gentiles  be  brought  in,  and  let  all  Israel  be 
saved.  Bring  them  back  from  all  the  lands 
whither  thine  anger  hath  scattered  them.  Re- 
lease thy  ancient  people  from  their  long  captivi- 
ty to  Satan,  and  their  bands  of  thick  darkness. 
Be  thou,  O  Jesus,  who  art  the  light  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, be  thou  also  the  glory  of  thy  people  Israel. 

But  I  would  endeavor  to  make  a  larger  im- 
provement of  this  general  head  of  discourse. 

Does  the  gospel  bring  salvation  to  every  one 
that  believes  without  exception ;  to  all  ranks 
and  characters,  and  degrees,  and  orders  of  men  ? 
then  let  this  grace  be  spread  far  abroad  :  and 
let  not  the  more  polite  and  nicer  hearers  grow 
tired,  or  drowsy,  or  disdainful,  while  I  amplify  a 
little  and  diffuse  my  thoughts  into  various  parti- 
culars, pointing  out  the  variety  of  the  subjects 
of  this  grace  ;  for  I  would  (as  it  were)  mention 
every  sinner  by  name,  that  they  may  not  be  left 
only  to  unaffecting  general  notions,  but  being 
specially  addressed  to,  they  may  all  come  and 
partake  of  this  salvation  by  believing  this  gospel. , 

A  glorious  and  extensive  gospel  indeed,  and 
a  wide-spreading  salvation  !  To  every  one  who 
believes  !  None  excluded  from  this  blessing. 


OP    THE    GOSPEL.  133 

1.  It  is  not  confined  to  one  nation,  or  one  fami 
iy,  not  to  one  tribe  or  kindred  of  mankind,  as 
the  law  of  Moses  was.  Go  preach  the  gospel, 
says  our  Lord,  to  every  creature  ;  Mark  xvi.  16, 
Preach  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  in  my 
name  among  all  nations,  beginning  at  Jerusa- 
lem ;  Luk.  xxiv.  47.  To  the  Jew  first,  but  let  not 
this  grace  be  confined  to  them:  publish  this 
blessed  doctrine  also  to  the  sinners  among  the 
Greeks  and  Gentiles.  You  that  are  afar  off 
from  God,  even  in  the  ends  of  the  earth,  ye 
are  called  to  look  unto  Christ,  and  be  saved ; 
Isa.  xlv.  22.  It  is  no  matter,  oh  sinner  !  what 
thy  father  was,  or  what  thy  kindred  are !  if  thou 
art  but  a  believer  in  Christ,  thy  soul  is  happy,  thy 
sins  are  pardoned,  the  gospel  is  the  power  of 
God  to  thy  salvation. 

2.  It  is  not  confined  to  one  sex  only,  or  to'one 
age.  The  children  are  called  as  well  as  the 
fathers,  and  men  and  woman  are  invited  to  par- 
take of  this  blessing  together  in  Christ.  There 
is  neither  male  nor  female,  neither  young  noi 
old,  neither  Greek  nor  Jew,  that  have  any 
distinction  put  upon  them,  to  exclude  them 
from  this  grace  ;  they  are  all  one  in  Christ 
Jesus ;  Gal.  iii.  28.  Children,  have  you  seen  the 
evil  of  your  sins,  and  the  danger  of  hell]  Do  you 
long  for  pardoning  and  saving  grace,  and  are 

M 


134  A  RATIONAL   DEFENCE 

you  willing  that  Christ  should  make  your  peace 
with  God,  that  he  should  enable  you  to  serve 
him  on  earth,  and  prepare  you  for  heaven? 
Come  then,  trust  in  this  gospel,  give  up  your- 
selves to  Jesus  Christ  the  Saviour,  in  the  manner 
I  have  spoken,  and  the  salvation  is  yours.  Nor 
let  old  sinners  thrust  away  this  mercy  from 
tlxem,  under  a  pretence  that  they  have  long 
abused  it.  You  are  now  under  the  joyful  sound 
of  the  gospel ;  you  sit  now  under  the  language 
of  inviting  love;  are  you  willing  to  be  made  new 
creatures  before  you  die,  and  to  accept  of  a  deli- 
verance from  hell,  though  you  are  upon  the 
very  borders  of  it  1  Behold  power  enough  in  this 
gospel  to  deliver  you  :  the  blood  of  Christ  can 
wash  out  stains  of  the  longest  continuance  ;  the 
spirit  of  Christ  can  change  the  skin  of  an  old 
Ethiopian,  and  create  an  old  inveterate  trans- 
gressor into  holiness.  This  gospel  could  save 
the  thief  upon  the  cross,  and  ensure  paradise 
to  him.  It  can  rescue  a  dying  rebel  from  eter- 
nal death,  for  it  gives  life  and  salvation  to  every 
one  that  believes. 

3.  It  is  not  limited  to  one  rank  or  condition  of 
men  in  the  civil  life,  but  reaches  to  persons  of 
every  circumstance.  The  rich  and  the  poor, 
the  master  and  the  servant,  the  prince  and  the 
peasant,  must  partake  of  salvation  by  the  same 


OF    THE    GOSPEL*  135 

faith  in  the  Son  of  God.  The  Barbarian  and  the 
Scythian,  who  seem  to  be  born  for  slaves,  and 
the  Romans  who  are  lords  of  the  earth,  the 
bond  and  the  free,  have  all  an  equal  call  to  re- 
ceive this  salvation  ;  Col.  lii.  xi.  Ye  are  all  rich 
enough  to  obtain  it :  there  is  no  purchase  of 
these  blessings  by  any  other  price  but  that  of 
the  blood  of  Jesus.  Silver  and  gold,  and  the 
treasure  of  kings  are  all  contemptible  offers  in 
so  sacred  a  concernment  as  this  is.  The  benefit 
is  too  valuable  to  be  bought  at  any  meaner  rate  : 
Christ  who  paid  for  it,  will  bestow  it  freely  on  all. 
If  the  rich  will  receive  it,  they  must  come  with- 
out money,  and  without  price,  and  accept  of  the 
free  gift  of  God,  as  humble  petitioners  at  his 
footstool ;  and  the  poor  that  have  no  money, 
come  ye  and  buy;  Isa.  iv.  1,  2.  Let  the  vilest, 
meanest  creature  come  to  this  treasury  of  grace, 
and  with  thankfulness  receive  the  salvation,  for 
it  is  bought  already.  You  are  called  only  to  trust 
in  this  gospel,  to  surrender  yourselves  to  this 
Saviour,  and  the  salvation  shall  be  yours.  Ye 
that  are  mean  and  low  and  base  in  this  world, 
there  are  many  of  your  brethren  already  joined 
in  the  fellowship  of  this  gospel :  come,  enter 
yourselves  into  the  blessed  fraternity.  To  the 
poor  the  gospel  is  preached,  and  the  poor  receive 
it.    But  there  are  some  noble,  there  are  some 


136  A   RATIONAL    DEFENCE 

great,  there  are  some  rich,  that  have  felt  the 
power  of  it  too  :  there  is  Philemon  the  master, 
and  his  servant  Onesimus,  joined  in  the  same 
faith,  and  partakers  of  the  same  salvation  ; 
Philem.  16. 

Again,  4thly,  it  is  not  confined  to  the  persons 
whose  intellectual  excellencies  are  superior  to 
their  neighbors,  or  who  exceed  others  in  under- 
standing and  the  acquirements  of  the  mind.  St, 
Paul  was  debtor  both  to  the  wise  and  the  unwise ; 
to  the  learned  Greek,  and  to  the  ignorant  and 
unpolished  Barbarian;  Rom.  i.  14.  He  preached 
the  gospel  to  all  of  them,  for  Christ  had  a  chosen 
number  amongst  them  all.  If  the  witty,  and  the 
wise  and  learned,  will  lay  down  their  pride,  and 
submit  to  the  doctrine  of  Christ  crucified,  and 
not  call  it  foolishness :  if  they  all  humble  their 
understandings  to  receive  the  sacred  mysteries 
of  our  religion,  God,  manifest  in  the  flesh,  and 
put  to  death  for  the  sins  of  men,  and  will  place 
the  concerns  of  their  eternal  welfare  into  the 
hands  of  him  who  hung  bleeding  upon  the  cross ; 
if  they  are  willing  to  be  converted,  and  become 
as  little  children,  there  is  a  door  for  them  to  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  And  as  for  you, 
whose  understandings  are  weak  and  unpolished 
with  human  learning,  this  is  a  doctrine  and  a 
gospel  exactly  fitted  for  your  character :  it  is 


OF    THE    GOSPEL.  1 37 

no  business  of  great  sagacity,  no  ingenious 
matter  to  become  a  Christian.  Believe  the 
truths  that  are  plainly  revealed  concerning  your 
own  sin  and  misery,  and  the  power  of  Jesus 
Christ  to  save  you,  bewail  your  own  wretched- 
ness and  guilt,  and  intrust  yourselves  in  the 
arms  of  his  grace,  that  ye  be  made  holy  and 
happy,  and  ye  also  shall  become  possessors  of 
the  same  kingdom.  Father,  I  thank  thee,  Lord  of 
heaven  and  earth,  that  though  these  things  may 
be  hidden  from  the  wise  and  the  prudent  yet  thou 
hast  revealed  them  to  babes  ;  Matt.  xi.  25,  26. 

But  I  pursue  the  distributions  of  this  grace  yet 
farther. 

5.  No  particular  tempers  or  constitutions  of 
men,  no  different  qualities  of  soul  or  body,  can 
exclude  those  that  believe,  from  the  grace  or 
blessings  of  this  gospel.  Let  not  the  strong  man 
glory  in  his  strength,  nor  the  comely  figures  of 
human  nature  boast  themselves  in  their  beauty. 
Let  not  the  weak  be  overwhelmed  with  des- 
pair, nor  the  deformed  or  uncomely  stand  afar 
off  and  abandon  their  hopes  ;  the  same  Saviour 
proposes  the  riches  of  his  grace  to  all.  Learn 
therefore  to  look  upon  all  your  natural  advan- 
tages, and  all  your  natural  discouragements,  with 
a  negligent  eye  in  the  matter  of  your  salvation. 

If  vou  would-be  strong  to  win  heaven,  vou  must 
m  2 


13S  A    RATIONAL    DEFENCE 

borrow  ail  your  strength  from  Christ  and  the 
gospel.  If  you  would  appear  comely  and  ho- 
norable before  the  face  of  God,  you  must  be 
clothed  in  the  robe  of  righteousness  and  the 
garments  of  Salvation,  which  he  has  prepared  ; 
Isa.  lxi.  10. 

Nor  can  any  difference  in  the  natural  qualities 
of  the  soul  forbid  any  person  who  believes  in 
Christ  to  hope  for  this  Salvation.  Those  who 
are  by  nature  proud  or  peevish,  sullen  or  pas- 
sionate, angry  and  revengeful,  have  been  made 
partakers  of  this  grace,  as  well  as  those  who  by 
the  complexion  of  their  animal  frame,  and  the 
original  temper  of  their  minds,  have  had  more 
of  the  natural  virtues  belonging  to  them  ;  such 
as  gentleness,  meekness  of  spirit,  good  humor 
and  kindness.  Those  who  have  something  in 
their  very  frame  that  is  sly  and  crafty,  or  cove- 
tous, wanton  and  intemperate,  have  felt  the 
power  of  this  gospel,  as  well  as  those  that  have 
been  generous  and  sincere,  modest,  chaste  and 
abstemious  ;  for  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  which 
was  typified  by  the  ark  of  Noah,  takes  in  all 
manner  of  animals,  clean  and  unclean,  and  saves 
them  from  the  deluge,  of  divine  wrath  that  shall 
come  upon  an  ungodly  workl.  But  there  is  this 
blessed  difference,  that  the  brute.s  went  out  of  the 
ark  with  the  same  nature  they  brought  in  ;  but 


OF    THE    GOSPEL.  139 

those  who  come  under  the  protection  and  power 
of  this  gospel  by  faith,  they  are  in  some  measure 
changed,  they  are  refined,  they  are  sanctified  : 
the  wolf  that  came  in  is  turning  into  a  iamb,  and 
the  raven  by  degrees  becomes  a  dove  ;  surely, 
the  gospel  has  begun  to  make  them  so,  for  it 
has  begun  their  salvation. 

I  will  grant  indeed,  that  the  perverse  temper 
of  blood  and  spirits,  and  the  very  make  of  the 
man  as  to  his  natural  vicious  qualities,  is  seldom, 
entirely  altered  by  the  grace  of  God  here  on 
earth.  There  will  be  some  sallies  of  animal 
nature,  some  out  breakings  of  the  irregular  fire 
that  is  pent  up  in  the  constitution;  and  these  will 
too  often  mix  themselves  with  our  conduct,  and 
interline  our  acts  of  virtue  and  duty.  But  the 
holy  soul,  who  believes  in  Christ,  will  be  humble, 
will  mourn,  will  accuse  and  chide  itself  before 
God  in  secret,  and  will  be  importunate  and  rest- 
less in  prayer  for  the  victory.  The  Christian 
will  not  suffer  himself  to  be  carried  away  willingly 
by  the  stream  of  vicious  inclination;  for  he  that 
is  born  of  God  sinneth  not ;  1  John  v.  18.  and  it  is 
in  vain  to  talk  of  the  gospel  and  salvation,  of 
faith  and  grace,  if  we  give  up  the  reins  to  vicious 
nature,  and  bid  a  careless  farewell  to  any  one 
virtue. 

But  to  proceed  yet  farther  in  reckoning  up  the 


140  A    RATIONAL    DEFENCE 

various  characters  of  men,  whom  the  gospel 
makes  Christians  by  the  grace  of  faith. 

6.  As  no  persons  are  excluded  because  of  their 
national  constitution,  so  neither  are  any  forbid 
the  blessing  of  salvation  because  of  their  former 
ill  characters  in  the  moral  life.  Not  the  greatest 
of  sinners  are  shut  out  from  this  blessing,  if  they 
repent  and  believe  the  gospel.  Not  the  Jews., 
who  crucified  the  Lord  of  glory :  not  the  Gen- 
tiles or  Greeks,  who  were  slaves  to  superstition 
and  idolatry,  and  drenched  in  most  infamous  and 
abominable  practices ;  the  Greeks,  who  gave 
themselves  up  to  workuncleanness  with  greedi- 
ness, without  God,  and  without  hope  in  the  world. 
One  gospel  has  saved  them  all.  No  former  fol- 
lies or  faults,  no,  not  the  greatest  of  sins  against 
man,  or  against  God  himself,  ought  to  shut  up  a 
humble  soul  under  despair  ;  for  this  is  a  faithful 
saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Jesus 
Christ  came  to  save  the  chief  of  sinners;  1  Tim. 
i.  15.  And  that  is  a  word  of  most  extensive 
grace  which  our  Saviour  speaks ;  Matth.  xii.  31. 
All  manner  of  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  for- 
given unto  men. 

You  who  have  enjoyed  a  happy  education,  and 
had  pious  parents  to  boast  of,  as  the  Jews  boasted 
of  Abraham;  you  who  have  many  shining  works 
of  sobriety  and  righteousness,  you  are  called  to 


OF    THE    GOSPEL.  141 

come  and  trust  in  this  gospel :  but  you  must  re- 
nounce all  your  pretended  merit,  and  accept  ot 
pardoning  grace,  or  you  can  never  be  saved, 
And  you  that  have  nothing  that  looks  like  a 
good  work  to  glory  in.  sinners  as  bad  as  the 
worst  of  Gentiles,  come  and  believe  this  gospel, 
and  surrender  yourselves  to  Jesus  the  Prince 
and  the  Saviour  ;  his  blood  is  all-sufficient  for  the 
pardon  of  your  sins,  his  righteousness  i3  all- 
sufficient  for  your  justification ;  and  his  spirit 
can  purify  your  sinful  natures.  Where  sin  has 
abounded,  grace  has  much  more  abounded  ; 
Rom.  v.  20.  It  is  to  the  everlasting  honor  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  that  it  has  appeared  to  be  the 
power  of  God  to  the  salvation  of  multitudes  of 
such  as  you  :  such  were  some  of  you,  saith  the 
apostle  to  the  Corinthians,  but  ye  are  washed, 
but  ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our 
God;  1  Cor.  vi.  11. 

And  surely,  if  great  degrees  of  sin  cannot  ex- 
clude the  penitent  soul  from  the  benefit  of  the 
gospel,  then  7thly,  neither  shall  any  person  be 
excluded  because  of  the  weak  degrees  of  his 
faith:  him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye, 
for  Christ  has  received  him  :  Rom.  xiv.  i.  3, 
Read  that  kind  condescending  promise,  and  be- 
lieve it ;  Matth.  xii.  20.     He  will  not  break  tfc 


142  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

buised  reed,  nor  quench  the  smoking  flax,  nor 
suppress  nor  despise  the  least,  the  lowest  desire 
of  grace.  He  will  encourage  the  youngest  and 
feeblestacts  of  sincere  repentance  and  true  faith 
though  struggling  under  much  sin  and  darkness, 
until  it  break  out  into  evident  and  active  flame. 
The  little  tender  seed  of  grace  under  his  heaven- 
ly influences  shall  bud  and  blossom,  and  spring- 
up  into  full  glory.  How  large  and  glorious  is  the 
salvation  that  attends  faith  in  this  gospel !  How 
extensive  is  the  grace  of  God  our  Saviour!  How 
unsearchable  are  the  riches  of  his  mercy  !  O  the 
heights  and  the  depths,  the  lengths  and  breadths 
of  the  love  of  Christ,  that  pass  all  knowledge  ! 
None  of  the  sons  or  daughters  of  Adam,  the 
sinner,  are  excluded  from  this  salvation,  where 
the  gospel  is  preached,  but  those  who  exclude 
themselves  by  stubbornness  and  unbelief.  Per- 
sons of  every  kind,  every  character,  condition 
and  quality,  amongst  men,  have  found  this 
gospel  become  the  power  of  God  to  their  salva- 
tion, when  they  fled  to  the  refuge  and  believed 
in  this  Saviour. 

What  improvement  now  shall  I  make  of  the 
last  part  of  this  discourse,  this  wide  extent  of 
salvation  bestowed  on  all  who  believe  1  Has 
every  single  believer  this  salvation  in  some 
measure  conferred  on  him,  and  wrought  in  him  ? 


OF    THE    GOSFEL.  143 

Then  here  is  a  plain  and  evident  test,  whereby 
to  try  our  faith,  or  a  certain  sign  whereby  we 
may  judge,  whether  we  are  t;ue  belivers,  or  no, 
The  gospel  is  the  manifestation  of  the  power 
of  God  for  the  salvation  of  every  one  that  be- 
lieves.    What  have  you  found  of  this  salvation 
begun  in  you?    What  have  you  felt  of  your  own 
guilt  and  wretchedness  by  reason  of  sin,  and  of 
your  danger  of  eternal  death]     Have  you  seen 
the  death  of  Christ  as  an  effectual  atonement  to 
procure  the  forgiveness  of  an  offended  God? 
Have  you  beheld  the  power  and  grace  of  Christ 
sufficient  to  renew  your  sinful  natures,  and  to 
form  them  after  the  image  of  God  in  righteous- 
ness and  true  holiness  ?     Have  you  found  your 
conscience  resting  upon  the  sacrifice  of  Christ, 
and  your  souls  humbly  expecting  pardon  and 
peace  there?    Are  your  hearts  turned  away 
from  every  sin?     Is  the  temper  of  your  mind 
made  divine  and  havenly,   and   suited  to  tire 
business  and  blessedness  of  the  upper  world  ? 
This  is  the  salvation  of  Christ  which  the  gospel 
proposes,  and  bestows  upon  all  that  believe. 

Upon  such  solemn  inquiries  as  these,  I  am 
persuaded  there  is  many  a  soul  must  take  up 
this  heavy  complaint,  "  Alas !  I  fear  I  am  no 
believer  :  I  have  sat  long  under  the  sound  of  the 
gospel,  and  I  have  heard  the  doctrine  of  Christ 


144  A   RATIONAL   DEFENCE 

crucified  many  years  to  no  purpose ;  for  I  have 
never  found  this  gospel  attended  with  any  such 
powerful  impressions  as  to  begin  salvation  in 
me.  I  have  been  too  thoughtless  about  the 
guilt  of  my  sins,  and  about  the  forgiveness  of 
them  in  the  court  of  heaven.  Nor  have  I  found 
my  sinful  nature  changed,  nor  "  my  affections 
sanctified.  I  have  very  little  of  these  spiritual 
desires  and  delights  which  have  been  before 
described  as  part  of  my  salvation.  I  feel  the  in- 
ward workings  of  my  soul  vain  and  carnal  still ; 
I  am  not  prepared  for  the  heavenly  world,  and 
surely  then  I  have  never  truly  believed  in  Christ, 
nor  received  his  gospel." 

To  such  complaints  as  these,  I  would  propose 
these  three  several  answers. 

Answer  I.  It  may  be  so  indeed.  All  this 
complaint  may  be  just  and  true ;  and  perhaps 
thou  art  an  unbeliever  still,  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins,  and  exposed  every  moment  to  the 
stroke  of  death,  and  to  everlasting  misery.  This 
is  the  case  of  many  a  thousand  beside  thyself: 
even  the  greatest  part  of  those  who  are  called 
Christians,  are  afar  off  from  God  and  from  sal- 
vation, and  have  no  just  ground  to  suppose  that 
they  are  believers  in  Christ.  But  it  is  of  infinite 
concern  for  thee,  O  sinner,  to  busy  thyself  about 
this  inquiry.     There  is  not  any  one  act  in  thy 


OF   THE  GOSPEL.  145 

life,  in  which  thou  canst  be  engaged,  that  is  of 
greater  and  more  awful  importance  than  this, 
for  thy  heaven  or  thy  hell  depends  upon  it. 

Some  sit  all  their  days  .under  the  gospel,  and 
hear   nothing  but  the  outward  sound,   always 
unmoved,  unawakened  and  unaffected;  slum- 
bering and  nodding  upon  the  borders  of  eternal 
fire  ;  while  others  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of 
God,  arise  from  the  dead,  and  receive  a  new,  a 
divine  life.     Some  in  the  same  family,  perhaps 
of  thy  own  kindred,  thy  fl<  sh  and  blood,  or  some 
that  are  upon  the  same  seat  in  the  public  assem- 
bly, are  convinced  and  converted,  believe  in 
Christ,  andare  saved;  while  thou  remainestahard 
and  impenitentsinner  under  the  voice  of  thesame 
grace,  and  the  preaching  of  the  same  salvation. 
And  if  this  be  thy  case,  it  is  a  dreadful  one 
indeed.     Consider,  how  will  thy  condemnation 
be  aggravated,  that  thou  hast  heard  the  gospel 
published  with  so  much  glorious  evidence,  in 
such  a  land,  and  such  an  age  of  light  as  this  is, 
and  yet  thou  abidest  in  the  state  of  impenitence, 
and  unbelief,  and  death.     Thou  hast  had  the 
blessings  of  heaven  offered  at  thy  door,  and  hast 
hitherto  refused  to  receive  them.     Tfcou  hast 
sat,  as  it  were,  on  the  banks  of  the  river  of  life, 
and  never  desired   to  taste  the  living   water. 
Thou  hast  dwelt  near  the  shadow  of  the  tree  of 
life,  but  art  an  utter  stranger  to  the  fruit.     O  ! 

N 


146  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

with  what  a  stupid  and  a  careless  ear  hast  thou 
heard  the  things  of  thy  everlasting  peace? 
Think  of  it  therefore,  and  be  horribly  afraid:  if 
the  gospel  be  not  powerful  for  the  salvation  of 
thy  soul,  it  will  become,  through  thy  own  im- 
penitence, a  powerful  means  to  increase  thy 
damnation,  to  make  thy  hell  hotter,  and  thy 
eternal  sorrows  more  intolerable.  Wo  to  thee, 
Capernaum;  wo  to  thee,  Bethsaida;  wo  unto 
you,  O  sinners  of  Great  Britain,  ye  have  been 
exalted  to  heaven  in  divine  favors,  and  ye  shall 
be  thrust  down  to  hell  if  ye  continue  in  unbelief. 
It  shall  be  more  tolerable  in  the  day  of  Judg- 
ment for  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  than  for  you  ; 
Matth.  xi.  21. 

But  art  thou  indeed  yet  an  unbeliever  ?  Yet 
sleeping  the  sleep  of  death  1  It  may  be  this  is 
thy  awakening  time  :  it  may  be  this  is  the  hour 
when  thou  shalt  begin  to  hear  the  voice  of  God 
in  order  to  life.  Q,  cherish  such  important 
thoughts  as  these.  Let  them  arise  with  thee  in 
the  morning,  let  them  lie  down  at  night  with 
thee,  and  give  thyself  no  rest,  nor  give  rest  to 
the  God  of  heaven,  nor  to  Jesus  Christ  the  Sa- 
viour, tiH  he  has  received  thy  soul  into  the  arms 
of  his  love,  forgiven  thy  sins,  and  made  thee  a 
new  creature,  that  the  gospel  may  not  be  to 
thy  soul  the  savor  of  eternal  death. 

Ansiv.  II.  But  perhaps  the  person  who  makes 


OP  THE  GOSPEL.  14? 

this  complaint,  may  be  some  humble  melancholy 
Christian,  some  sincere  believer  in  Christ,  and 
yet  under  dark  and  timorous  apprehensions  con- 
cerning his  own  state.  It  may  be,  poor  tremb- 
ling soul,  that  thou  hast  found  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  to  be  the  power  of  God  to  thy  salva- 
tion, though  thou  art  not  able  rightly  to  evidence 
it  to  thy  own  conscience. 

Thou  hast  not  the  joy  of  pardon  indeed,  but 
hast  thou  not  some  glimmering  hopes'?  Surely 
thou  dost  not  abandon  thyself  to  utter  despair. 
Thou  hast  not  assurance  that  Christ  has  accept- 
ed of  thee  ;  but  art  thou  not  sincerely  willing  to 
surrender  thyself  to  him,  to  receive  his  complete 
salvation  in  the  holiness  as  well  as  the  happiness 
of  it]  Dost  thou  not  long  to  be  pardoned  and  ac- 
cepted of  God,  for  the  sake  of  his  death  and  obedi- 
ence 1  And  art  thou  not  heartily  desirous  to  give 
him  all  the  honor  of  thy  salvation  ]  Thou  hast 
not  much  power  against  sin,  but  dost  thou  not 
hate  it  with  immortal  hatred,  and  esteem  it  thy 
constant  enemy  ?  Does  it  not  often  cause  thee 
to  mourn  before  the  Lord  because  of  thy  captive 
state,  and  the  working  of  indwelling  iniquities  ? 
Perhaps  thou  dost  not  yet  feel  thyself  to  be 
manifestly  saved  from  sin,  but  art  thou  not  saved 
from  the  love  of  sin  %  It  dwells  in  thy  flesh,  it 
may  be,  and  raises  tumults  there,  but  not  in  thy 


f  48  A  RATIONAL  DEFENCE 

desire  and  thy  delight.  Canst  thou  not  say  with 
the  apostle ;  Rom.  vii.  23,  24.  There  is  a  law  in 
my  members  warring  against  the  law  of  my 
mind?  But  it  is  a  daily  torment  to  me,  O  wretch- 
ed man  that  I  am !  who  shall  deliver  me?  Thou 
dost  not  love  God,  it  may  be,  according  to  thy 
wish  and  desire ;  but  is  there  any  thing  which 
thou  valuest.more  than  God  and  his  love  ?  Art 
thou  not  truly  willing  to  love  him  above  all  things, 
to  be  renewed  and  sanctified  in  all  the  powers 
of  thy  nature,  to  be  fitted  for  the  business  of 
heaven,  and  suited  to  the  blessedness  ? 

If  thy  heart  can  echo  to  this  sort  of  language, 
and  the  grace  of  God  has  prevailed  thus  far. in 
thee,  then  thy  salvation  is  begun;  the  gospel 
has  shown  its  divine  power  upon  thee,  and  thou 
art  indeed  to  be  numbered  among  the  believers. 
Jinsw.  III.  But  I  would  conclude  my  discourse 
with  a  word  that  may  have  equal  respect  to 
saints  or  sinners.  If  you  are  concerned  sincerely 
about  your  eternal  welfare,  but  can  see  no  com- 
fortable evidences  in  yourselves  of  the  work  of 
faith  or  the  beginnings  of  salvation,  if  all  within 
you  appear  to  be  gu  It  and  sin,  and  there  is  much 
of  hell  and  darkness  in  the  soul,  yet  do  not  cast 
away  all  hope  :  arise  and  come  to  Jesus  the 
Saviour,  behold  he  calleth  you.  This  is  the 
reason  of  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  this  is  the 


OF    THE    GOSPEL.  149 

accepted  time,  this  is  the  day  of  salvation.  Make 
haste  now  to  the  city  of  refuge,  fly  now  to  the 
hope  that  is  set  before  you. 

The  promises  are  held  open  to  thee,  O  soul! 
whosoever  thou  art,  even  the  promises  of  light 
and  life,  of  grace  and  eternal  glory.  Christ 
Jesus  invites  thee  by  the  messengers  of  his 
gospel :  if  there  be  some  darkness  upon  thy 
spirit,  do  not  spend  all  thy  time  in  laborious  and 
fruitless  inquiries  whether  thou  hast  heretofore 
believed  in  Christ,  or  no;  but  come  now  with  an 
humble  sense  of  thy  guilty  and  sinful  cricum- 
starices,  and  surrender  thyself  to  his  charge  and 
care  by  a  new  act  of  faith,  or  trust  ordependance. 
Plead  with  him  to  accept  a  vile  criminal  over- 
loaded with  guilt  and  misery,  and  to  make  thee 
accepted  with  God  by  a  righteousness  which 
was  not  thy  own.  Beseech  him  to  look  with 
pity  on  thy  unholy  soul,  to  sanctify  and  renew  it, 
to  take  thy  hard  heart  into  his  hand,  and  soften 
it  into  repentance.  Plead  with  him,  and  say, 
Lord,  art  not  thou  exalted  to  give  repentance 
as  well  as  remission  ]  Intreat  of  him  to  subdue 
thy  sins,  to  new-mould  and  create  all  the  powers 
of  thy  nature  in  the  beauties  of  holiness,  and  to 
prepare  thee  for  the  heavenly  state.  Go  and 
complain  humbly  at  his  mercy -seat,  how  long 
thou  hast  "sat  under  the  ministrv  of  his  own 


150  A   RATIONAL   DEFENCE 

i 

gospel,  and  felt  no  divine  power  attending  it 
Intrust  thy  soul  now  to  his  care,  and  place  thy- 
self by  faith  under  his  divine  influences.  He 
that  comes  in  this  manner,  shall  in  no  wise  be 
cast  out,  for  the  Lord  has  promised  to  receive 
him  ;  John  vi.  37.  Wait  on  him  with  daily  im- 
portunity, follow  all  the  means  of  grace  which 
he  hath  appointed,  and  the  gospel  of  Christ  shall 
appear  in  due  time  to  be  the  power  of  God,  even 
thv  God  to  thy  salvation.     Amen. 


THE  END. 


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